King's Cross: The Making of a Masterplan

by Bob Allies, Robert Evans, Graham Morrison, Demetri Porphyrios

Overview

This book provides the most accurate and most complete account of the evolution of King's Cross Central, one of Europe’s most successful, and most significant, urban regeneration projects. It is already the subject of considerable international interest, attracting the attention of planners, politicians and urban designers both at home and abroad. The four authors of this book all played key roles in the development of the project and together they describe how and why King’s Cross Central came about.

Beginning by setting out King's Cross’s rich and complex history, the book then provides fascinating insights from the main protagonists, from initial concept, based on an innovative mixed-use approach based on ten guiding principles which set out the ‘human city’; through its evolution with various stakeholders involved; the complex negotiations regarding planning, conservation and financing; to the development and creation of the public spaces and landscapes and the selection of individual architects and buildings which, together with the renovation of historical buildings, has created King's Cross’s unique and successful character.

Throughout, it is generously illustrated with historic photos and maps, drawings and diagrams, photographs recording the construction phase and specially commissioned graphics summarising key data and images of the site today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781848226821
Publisher:	Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
Publication date:	09/26/2025
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 10.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Bob Allies and Graham Morrison are founding partners of Allies and Morrison, one of the UK’s leading architecture and urbanism practices. Bob Allies is Chair of the Architecture Faculty at the British School at Rome, Professor of Architecture at Bath University, and Architect in Residence for the city of Bath. Graham Morrison is a trustee of Portsmouth’s Historic Quarter and was a Commissioner of English Heritage and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission and the South Downs National Park. Robert Evans is a planner, chartered surveyor and developer. He was part of the Argent leadership team for King’s Cross from 2001 and the first Chief Executive of the Estate from 2018, leaving both roles in 2023. He is a founder governor of King’s Cross Academy School. Demetri Porphyrios, Princeton graduate, Driehaus Prize Laureate, Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and former trustee of The Prince’s Foundation, has a global reputation as architect, urbanist and theorist. He held visiting professorships at Yale and has published award-winning books on architecture and the city.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Witold Rybczynski; Introduction by Dave Hill; First Steps by Evans; Human Cities: The Making of King's Cross by Porphyrios; Developing The Plan by Evans; Ten Strategies by Allies and Morrison; Making it Happen and Making it Work by Evans; Public Realm by Porphyrios, Morrison and Allies; Landscaping the public spaces by Robert Townshend; Looking Forward by Evans; Postscript by Jane Roberts

Editorial Reviews

'There are rare moments in the history of urbanism when a good client, good design and good politics combine. King's Cross in London is one of them. This is an instructive story on how to make a piece of city in the 21st century.' – Ricky Burdett, London School of Economics

‘King’s Cross was a vital test case for London. Is it still possible to build a slice of real city? This is the book that says “yes”, and shows how it was done.’ – Deyan Sudjic, author of The Language of Cities

From the Publisher