Victorian Gasholder Returns To King's Cross Skyline

M@
By M@ Last edited 129 months ago
Victorian Gasholder Returns To King's Cross Skyline
Image by M@.
Image by M@.
The previous site of Gasholder No. 8. Photo by M@.
The previous site of Gasholder No. 8. Photo by M@.
The emerging structure with, in the foreground, an artist's impression of the eventual view. Photo by M@.
The emerging structure with, in the foreground, an artist's impression of the eventual view. Photo by M@.
Image by John Stuurock.
Image by John Stuurock.
Artist's impression of the reassembled gasholders along Regent's Canal
Artist's impression of the reassembled gasholders along Regent's Canal
One concept for the inside of gasholer no. 8
One concept for the inside of gasholer no. 8

There's a lot of building work going on at King's Cross right now, what with a quartet of new office blocks topping out, preparation of the new square in front of the station, the emerging Francis Crick Institute behind the British Library and continuing works around the University of Arts. But one construction site is reassembling a piece of old King's Cross: Gasholder No. 8.

This 25 metre-high relic of Victorian industry previously stood at the crossroads between Camley Street Natural Park and St Pancras, but was demolished in 2011 to make way for Camden Council's new building, currently under construction. Built in the 1850s and Grade 2 listed, the iron guide frame has undergone two years of restoration. It's now being pieced back together a few hundred metres further north, alongside the canal near the rail bridge.

Eventually, a new event space and play area, designed by Bell Philips Architects, will be incorporated within the frame. It will be joined by three further gasholder rings, each containing a drum-shaped apartment block.

Last Updated 23 June 2013