Jun 10 2008
The outpourings of praise and admiration that followed the unveiling of the newly restored and extended grade l listed St Pancras station have today (29 May 2008) been formally recognised by the announcement that the renewed Gothic masterpiece had been awarded the RIBA London and English Heritage, Building in a Historic Context, accolade for 2008. The award, which seeks to celebrate a new building or an addition to a building that has worked particularly well within the historic context that encases it, with the existing urban fabric, or the materials of the past, was announced at a breakfast briefing hosted by the RIBA. The accolade is not necessarily a conservation award but the jury may chose to recognise exemplary conservation work. The award is afforded to the highest quality architecture of the present day for the way that it forms part of, and contributes to, the continuity and history of its London context.
The enormity of the challenge to transform a station that was for many years regarded as the poor relation to London's superior transport hubs, was evident. Achieving the blend of providing a railway terminus of the highest standard whilst retaining the grandeur of the Gilbert Scott’s magnificent original design is what has set the station apart from other projects of comparable scale and ambition.
English Heritage, a key partner in the largest conservation scheme ever undertaken in this country, wanted to see a revitalised St Pancras Station become one of the defining elements of the King's Cross quarter, the ongoing regeneration of which, will transform an area which has suffered from years of decline.
Philip Davies, English Heritage's Planning and Development Director for the South, said: "Without doubt, the renaissance of St Pancras is an outstanding achievement for which all those involved should feel incredibly proud. For too long, Scott's defining work was dismissed as posing only problems rather than possibilities – it is through the imaginative vision of London & Continental Railways that the potential for reincarnation has been realised."
The creation of St Pancras International was possible with the passing of the 1996 Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act, which enabled the construction of both the high speed line from the Kent coast to the capital and improved interchange between underground and mainline services at King’s Cross and St Pancras station. The commencement of the design process – orchestrated by the railway engineering consortium (Railway Link Engineering, English Heritage and Camden Council) – underpinned the ten year construction period. Every stage of the restoration and alteration of William Barlow’s grade l listed train shed was studiously explored – from major structural issues to the appropriate shades for the repainted ironwork.
Philip Davies added: "It is absolutely right that St Pancras has been recognised by the RIBA today and English Heritage believe that the success of this development clearly demonstrates the powerful contribution that heritage can make to economic and physical regeneration on an epic scale."
The annual RIBA Awards are given for buildings that have high architectural standards and make a substantial contribution to the local environment. The awards and have been running continuously since 1966.