‘Urbanised Nature’ sanctuaries define amenity spaces at Author in London

London-based Conran and Partners have completed the residential amenities for Author, King’s Cross. Located in the heart of the city at 180 York Way, Author is Related Argent’s flagship Build-to-Rent development. Conran and Partners have lent their architectural and interior design sensibilities to the ground floor reception and amenity areas of development. The development consists of three buildings arranged around a public landscape courtyard, showcasing a commitment to delivering an unparcelled residential experience in a highly urban city.

The spaces deftly balance pop and sophistication | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — The spaces deftly balance pop and sophistication Image: Luke Hayes

The concept of Urbanised Nature is the very core of the Conran and Partners’ design philosophy. The studio seamlessly blends the richness of emerging and historic contexts, creating a project that emanates a refined living experience. The design cleverly intertwines forms and patterns from urban environments with the textures, tones and layers inspired by nature, resulting in a harmonious and subtly sophisticated aesthetic.

The theme <em>Urbanised Nature</em> binds the spaces | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — The theme *Urbanised Nature* binds the spaces Image: Taran Wilkhu

Residents of the development are greeted by a double-height lobby that serves as the gateway to the entire development. This meticulously crafted space sets the tone for the rest of the project. It deftly balances accents of vibrant pop colours as seen in the bespoke artwork by Kenny Nguyen, with natural and neutral patterns of wood and concrete. The lobby exudes warmth and charm with a light touch of sophistication synonymous with that part of London. Timber joinery on the internal walls adds tactile elements and the curve motif design of the panelling pays homage to the iconic arches of King’s Cross.

Bespoke artwork brightens up the spaces | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — Bespoke artwork brightens up the spaces Image: Taran Wilkhu

Designed to be a focal point, the reception desk showcases a dynamic background with its cold rolled steel design from Isomi featuring varying-sized tonal timber slats. Simon Kincaid, Principal at Conran and Partners, says, “Our vision for Author, King’s Cross was to fuse urbanity with nature, crafting an unparalleled residential experience. Each element curated, from the intricate motifs inspired by King’s Cross arches to the nuanced play of colours and materials, echoes the historic context and contemporary design. We have sculpted an environment that speaks to refined urban living, fostering a sense of connection to both the built and natural worlds.”

The reception desk is the focal point of the double heighted lobby | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — The reception desk is the focal point of the double-height lobby Image: Taran Wilkhu

The staircase from the lobby leads to a series of amenity spaces designed to cater to diverse resident needs. The private lounge, adorned in tones of green and orange, features a pool table and a bar backed by a bespoke bronze mirror. In yet another reference to the arches at King’s Cross, the mirror is adorned with recurring arch motifs. The non-uniform lighting, strategically placed throughout the project, creates a variety of interest points and visual hierarchy, fostering a comfortable and domestic atmosphere.

The private lounge Image: Luke Hayes

The bar in the lounge is backed by a bespoke mirror that evokes the arches of King’s Cross Image: Taran Wilkhu

The co-working area, aptly named The Nook, offers residents different settings for various working styles. Featuring laminated bamboo vertical planes, the area is designed to define personal spaces while maintaining openness for light and enhancing acoustic performance.

<em>The Nook</em> co-working area | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — *The Nook* co-working area Image: Taran Wilkhu

The courtyard lounge becomes a flexible transition space that blurs the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living. In collaboration with Field Clegg Bradley Architects, Conran and Partners ensure a seamless connection between the external architecture and the nature that surrounds it. Customised triangular panels by SAS on the ceilings and the Bauwerk textured paint reinforce this connection to the outdoors with its earthy texture and tone.

The corridor extends into a connected building, revealing a private screening room and a garden kitchen. Thoughtfully chosen flooring, including a raw concrete-inspired carpet and Mutina’s Mews tiles, brings an urban vibe while referencing Victorian quarry tiles in a modern context.

The private screening room Image: Taran Wilkhu

The garden kitchen Image: Taran Wilkhu

The entire space culminates in the residents’ gym. Enhancing the guest experience with saturated natural shades of green and red, the gym interiors are complimented by the industrial look of galvanised metal. By carefully marrying the urban aesthetic with a nature-forward sensibility, this space ties back in neatly with Conran and Partners’ vision of ‘urbanised nature’.

The gym with saturated natural shades of green and red | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — The gym with saturated natural shades of green and red Image: Taran Wilkhu

Apartments inside the development are artfully furnished by David Phillips. Phillips introduces the curated scheme titled Urban Sanctuary through a thoughtfully designed scheme that balances bold colours with cosy furnishings and Nordic-style furniture, creating a truly timeless finish. The one-bedroom apartments feature a warm palette of blue, taupe and grey, while the two-bedroom apartments showcase a vibrant combination of navy, orange and cream.

In a conversation with STIR, Simon Kincaid expands on the design.

Pooja Suresh Hollannavar: The concept of urbanised nature is at the core of your design philosophy. What inspired the idea and how did you develop it?

Simon Kincaid: Urbanised nature derives from embracing the local context and vernacular into our designs. This includes patterns and forms from the urban setting, whilst acknowledging the textures, tones and layers of nature within the locale. In Central London this might seem slightly ambiguous, however, King’s Cross is an area bursting with history and varied architectural detailing, with historic and new references. The landscaping in the King’s Cross estate, such as around the canals and new “pocket parks”, has an inspiring industrial yet green fusion. We wanted to bring these elements into the interior design of the amenities to reinterpret the urban aesthetic whilst embodying the natural sensibility.

For example, residents are welcomed into a double-height lobby space with an arch-shaped motif, reflecting the industrial history of the area and the architecture of the stations and Coal Drops Yard, yet this is made from a timber material.

Pooja: Each of the amenity spaces has a distinct aesthetic, how did you bind these differences under a cohesive overall design language?

Simon: There are nods to the arches previously mentioned throughout the amenities—this was a key design feature in tying the whole project together, from the decorative panels behind the reception desk to the mirrored backsplash in the lounge’s kitchen.

Whilst each area has its own identity, there are other elements to the design that we wanted to keep coherent throughout the spaces. Throughout the whole project, we focused on non-uniform lighting, strategically crafting points of interest and visual hierarchy to foster an atmosphere of comfort and domesticity. This aligned well with the colour palette that seamlessly ties the spaces together—the muted, earthy tones touch back to the idea of urbanised natur whilst allowing for pops of modernity that bring individuality.

Pooja: The reception desk in the lobby is a deliberate focal point. Could you give a few more details about the design of the desk and the choices leading up to emphasising it?

Simon: Firstly, the dramatic double-height space of the lobby helps create a sense of arrival that resembles that of a hospitality setting. The desk plays a key role in delivering a warm welcome, taking centre stage in the space and immediately directing the residents’ attention to what is possibly the most important component of the Author—its friendly staff. The concierge team sits behind a cold rolled steel reception desk from Isomi that nods to the industrial past of the area, with a feature backdrop comprising bespoke timber panelling. The introduction of timber contrasts against the steel of the desk and the concrete columns, and the curved patterns running through the design are abstract references to the arches found in the architecture of the area. From a practical point of view, the decorative panels have an acoustic quality to them and are detachable to access services behind.

Pooja: The design features a multitude of colours and textures. How difficult was it to balance these to create a set of sophisticated spaces?

Simon: It demanded a thoughtful approach to ensure that each element complemented one another, contributing to an overall aesthetic to create an unparalleled residential experience. Take, for instance, the lattice timber ceiling and Bauwerk paint in the courtyard lounge, which radiates warmth and elegance. These elements beautifully contrast with the industrial-inspired finishes of the concrete and metal staircase in the lobby, creating a dynamic and visually compelling atmosphere.

Deliberately intensifying colour and saturation in areas of focused activity, such as the private lounge, screening room, and gym, was a strategic choice. In the gym, specifically, we’ve played with vibrant shades of green and red, coupled with dichroic glass. The result is a space that not only meets functional needs but also reflects contemporary design sensibilities, making each area a vibrant and engaging part of refined urban living.

Pooja: Could you talk a bit about the collaboration with Field Clegg Bradley Architects and how that informed the indoor-outdoor design choices?

Simon: Working with Field Clegg Bradley Architects, we have ensured that the interiors are intricately connected with the external architecture and nature, creating a cohesive and sophisticated living experience. Bespoke architectural features, especially the triangular ceiling panels by SAS that reference the façade design, exemplify the dedication to customised excellence, making Author a testament to contemporary and collaborative design.

We collaborated closely on the flow through spaces, and how function and form blend to create areas for social interaction for residents as well as privacy. This idea of public vs private and experiential design for residents is a skill and theme within our work, which is born from our experience designing hotels and restaurants.

The spaces ooze modernity and subtle sophistication | Author at King’s Cross | Conran and Partners | STIRworld — The spaces ooze modernity and subtle sophistication Image: Taran Wilkhu

The Urbanised Nature amenities at Author showcase that carefully curated amenity spaces, designed cleverly to cater to diverse resident needs, can become more than mandated spaces. Conran and Partners have skilfully carved out sanctuaries of varying degrees for the varied occupants of the development. The fusion of urban aesthetics with their nature-forward sensibilities has resulted in a truly unique spatial experience that acts as a perfect transition from outside to inside of their homes for the residents of the development.