The attractive face of the Coal Drops Yard shopping center in London's Kings Cross area is also shaped by StoSignature facade plasters

Coal Drops Yard, or "The Coal Sheds Courtyard," is considered the main shopping district in the London area of Kings Cross. In 2018, a new shopping center Coal Drops Yard was created here according to the design by architects from Thomas Heatherwick's studio, based on two coal sheds from the nineteenth century. The project breathed new life into two Victorian buildings and represents a wonderful example of the connection between old and new architecture. The metallic surfaces of the ceilings of the two neighboring buildings were created using the textures and effects of the creative plasters from StoSignature.

From freight depot to modern shopping center

The Victorian brick and alloy buildings in London originally served as a loading depot, into which up to eight million tons of coal were delivered annually by railway from northern England. Originally, there was one building, constructed in 1851, but over time it proved insufficient, and the depot expanded to include another block. It was these two buildings that architect Thomas Heatherwick and his team utilized to transform into a modern multifunctional space with dozens of shops, design boutiques, bars, and restaurants. What visitors will likely marvel at is the roof of the shopping center, which locals call the "kiss." Indeed – the roofs of the opposing buildings meet like lips in the center, creating a perfect space for gatherings.

Ceilings reminiscent of the coal era thanks to StoSignature plasters

When you sit under the "kissing roofs" and turn your head upward to take a closer look at the "kiss" of both roofs, the metallic sheen of the platinum plaster will catch your eye. This is 100% the work of the facade plasters, textures, and coatings from StoSignature. The ceilings of both touching roofs feature the texture StoSignature Standard K, formed by the organic top plaster with a scraped structure Stolit K 2.0. The rough facade plaster is coated with a platinum metallic coating based on pure acrylic StoColor Metallic. This coating allows for the creation of a metallic effect on the surface and is suitable for numerous substrates in both interior and exterior as a glazing and covering layer. The ceiling of the Coal Drops Yard shopping center provides the surface with an attractive metallic sheen and perfectly complements the blend of old and new architecture, which this new shopping center is famous for in the world of architecture and commerce.

Order free StoSignature samples

The first step to StoSignature plasters is simple – fill out the registration form on the page www.sto.cz/fasady, and Sto will send you free samples of selected StoSignature surfaces. You will see for yourself that with this system of creative plasters, almost anything is possible.


Object: Coal Drops Yard Shopping Center, London
Implementation: 2018
Architects: Heatherwick Studio, London
Investor: King's Cross Central Limited Partnership
Sto Competence: texture StoSignature Standard K 
(organic top plaster with a scraped structure Stolit K 2.0) with StoColor Metallic coating
Photographs: Hufton + Crow London