Defining the unique brand experience that is Coal Drops Yard

Transforming a place into a destination

Once a place known for little more than its namesake station, King’s Cross is now one of the largest redevelopments in the city complete with its own postcode - N1C. As the brand consultants behind the development, we were responsible for transforming this place into a new kind of shopping destination where people wanted to be.

Defining a neighbourhood

As part of the strategy and planning process we defined twelve different neighbourhoods that would sit within this new postcode and created an identity for each. One of these was Coal Drops Yard - a new shopping district set inside the original coal drops. We created a playful, distinctive identity and tone of voice that which matched the energy of the development and set it apart from other parts of London.

Realising a new brand place

Coal Drops Yard is no ordinary shopping destination, it is a place where art, commerce and culture come together. As well as developing the brand identity, we built the vision for this place by defining what kind of retailers and hospitality outlets belonged there. We then created a tenant pack that was distributed to brands interested in the development. For brands that were approved,the approved brands, we designed a tenant design playbook that set outcontaining guidelines for the design of their retail spaces. This to ensured that the integrity and vision of Coal Drops Yard shone through in each individual unit.

Our vision for Coal Drops Yard was one that breathed life into a forgotten part of London. Far from just another place to shop, this is a destination that embodies a feeling of serendipity. Where art, culture and commerce combine to create something special and deserving of this historic location.

Steven Ubsdell, Creative Director, Checkland Kindleysides

Collaborators

  • Checkland Kindleysides

    Brand Consultants, Strategy and Planning

  • Thomas Heatherwick

    Architects

  • Argent

    Developers

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