Building T6 - © The Neighbourhood
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1 September 2010 - Back

World Class Student Housing set for King’s Cross CentralWorld Class Student Housing set for King’s Cross Central


  • Partnership delivering King’s Cross Central signs an agreement with urbanest UK to deliver a new student housing building with 657-bedrooms on Plot T6

  • Stunning building designed by Glenn Howells Architects will create a high quality landmark building at the northern tip of King’s Cross Central, next to High Speed 1

  • The planning application has now been submitted to Camden Council


Plans for a stunning 657 bedroom student housing building at King’s Cross Central have been unveiled. A planning application is now being considered by Camden Council, and the building, designed by leading architecture firm Glenn Howells Architects, is expected to be ready for occupation for the 2013/14 academic year.

The submission of the planning application coincides with the signing of an agreement for lease between the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP) and urbanest UK. Under the structure of the deal, urbanest will develop and own the building on a long lease from the KCCLP.

Subject to securing planning approval, the building, currently known as T6, will be 14 storeys high for the most part, rising up to 27 storeys at one end to provide a strong urban marker within ‘Zone T’ at the northern end of the 67 acre development site. The building will wrap around a new courtyard space at ground level which will be open to the public and will contain seating, planting and public art.

Inside the building there will be a mixture of cluster flats and self-contained studios, with some commercial space at ground level. The building is designed to be highly sustainable, aiming to achieve major carbon savings and a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

In 2009 KCCLP ran a design competition with a number of leading architects for Building T6. Following that competition, KCCLP began discussions with a number of student housing specialists to determine how best to realise the full potential of the site. KCCLP chose to work with urbanest UK on the basis of its commitment to pursue a scheme of exceptional quality of design, its willingness to take forward the Glenn Howells Architects’ winning concept design, its focus on sustainability, and their class leading approach to student housing product and management.

The proposed building has been designed in reference to its surroundings, responding to the language of the site’s industrial heritage with tough horizontal detailing reflecting the historical railway depots of King’s Cross. Externally, the responsive, modelled façade is clad in reconstituted stone in a Portland hue, bringing a richness and vitality to the building; while the internal layouts address the specific requirements of student accommodation with living, studying and social spaces.

Robert Evans, from King’s Cross Central, said:

“We are delighted to be working with urbanest to deliver a student housing building of exceptional quality at King’s Cross Central. Building T6 will complement and enhance the wider King’s Cross Central development which, from September next year, will be the new home for Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and its community of 4,500 students and staff. All being well, we look forward to Building T6 opening its doors just 2 years later.”

Johnny Manns, from urbanest, said:

“urbanest is developing the next generation of student accommodation in central London, with a target of up to 3,000 beds in Zone 1, and are delighted to have secured a flagship site at King’s Cross that takes us beyond 1,000 beds already. The opportunity to build student housing at King’s Cross Central is very exciting, and we have sought to design a scheme that will do full justice to the vision of the King’s Cross masterplan and London as a global educational centre.

‘King’s Cross fits perfectly with urbanest’s goal of delivering innovative student accommodation with a well thought out specification, more affordable rents and a dedicated on-site management team to support and help residents during their stay. urbanest at King’s Cross will be a great place for students to live and study in London”

Glenn Howells, from Glenn Howells Architects, said:

“From the competition stage of this project we have had a strong vision for this building, which addresses the practical requirements of student accommodation within the wider King’s Cross masterplan as well as understanding the importance of delivering an architecturally strong, innovative and sustainable end product.

“We have worked closely with the wider design team and Camden Council’s planning team throughout the design process to develop these concept designs and submitting our proposals for this “urban marker” is a key milestone in the wider King’s Cross masterplan.”