Wallpaper 4

THE COAL OFFICE

Dixon’s multifunctional new King’s Cross hub

1.

TOM DIXON STUDIO

The building will

accommodate all

functions, from product

development and

design to production

and administration

3.

SHOPS

Retail slots within the

building’s arches will

feature Dixon’s own ranges

as well as selected friends

of the brand. ‘The Factory’

is a workshop accessible

to the public, who will walk

past production lines to

get to a store

2.

RESTAURANT

The two-level restaurant

will feature a glass

dining room and a terrace,

or ‘Feasting Balcony’,

with extensive views

of King’s Cross

THE

FACTORY HABERDASHERY

OFFICES

GIFT

SHOP

will be the studio’s main workspaces and below those,

the arches. Here, the Tom Dixon range will be divided

among different retail units, so there will be a lighting

shop, a perfumery, and so on. The plan is also for some

of the arches to be occupied by collaborators, younger

craft studios, and complementary businesses that

Dixon will select for cohabitation. ‘We will make a

little factory – manufacturing in the middle of London

again, like when I first started,’ he says.

There are similarities between the original premises

and The Coal Office. ‘Plus ça change,’ jokes Dixon.

The new building, like the old, is located along a canal,

in a reused historical building. Still, The Coal Office

will offer a better connected environment, and that was

important for Dixon. There are rail links to the rest of

the UK and, of course, the Eurostar. ‘King’s Cross is the

centre of a massive web of canals, roads and trains that

radiate out from London to the whole country and

directly link to the continent; it’s the hub of a massive

network. It’s international and local, it’s business and

pleasure, futuristic and historic – finding this building

with it’s gritty industrial charm sealed the deal.’

The redesigned space will be proudly showcasing

many of its original features, along with new elements,

such as lighting. The renovation was done with the

help of DRS Architects and David Morley Architects,

with Dixon designing the interior. As his brand

develops, the ambition is to have three or four of these

larger outposts worldwide, instead of hundreds of

shops, he explains. ‘We get involved in so many

activities that are usually invisible – the design process,

manufacturing, decorating, foods and perfumes,

partnerships, product development, engineering,

logistics – so this hub is an attempt to reveal what goes

on inside and around a brand rather than just a glossy

shop.’ Was he tempted to design his own building?

‘Of course! We are moving in a hurry now so not

enough time – but that is definitely the next step.’

For now, Dixon is planning the immediate future.

With the move date coinciding with the run up to

Milan’s Salone del Mobile, he decided not to have

a presence at the furniture fair this year, for the first

time in his practice’s history. Instead, he is embarking

on a world tour, launching his products in different

destinations around the world – Cape Town and

Casablanca are among the first stops on his list, and a

new New York store at 25 Greene Street is due to open

in May. ‘We felt it would make much more sense to

take our collection on the road and launch in Iceland

and Vancouver and Peru, as well as our new shops in

New York, London and Sydney, rather than go to the

usual Milan bash,’ he explains; it’s the perfect plan to

run from his new, hyper-connected HQ. ∂

tomdixon.net

‘King’s Cross is international and local...

finding this gritty building sealed the deal’

LIGHTING

STUDIO

PERFUMERY

WORKSHOP

FEASTING

DINING ROOM BALCONY

DESIGN

STATION

MATERIAL &

TEXTILE HUB

TRADE

COUNTER

COCKTAIL CLUB ROOM

ILLUSTRATOR: JOSHUA CHECKLEY

OFFICES DESIGN

STATION

1

2

3

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