Euston is set to house a giant four-storey 'sugar cube' as the first major structure to be built at the station because of HS2.
Covered with more than 13,000 glazed ivory-white tiles, the design draws inspiration from historic London Tube stations such as nearby Great Portland Street - as well as perhaps the great British cup of tea - and will help reflect light into the surrounding streets, HS2 Ltd said.
Designed by architects Weston Williamson + Partners, with William Matthews Associates, the giant box will contain a substation and electrical equipment as well as a vent shaft for the Northern line.
The glazed and perforated terracotta tiles – known as faience tiles – have been used in many Underground stations, including South Kensington, Covent Garden and the former Euston Tube stations. They also have the benefit of being durable and low maintenance and allowing air into the building.
HS2’s Euston programme director, Rob Carr said: 'The new vent shaft and substation will be one of the first things we build and it’s important we get it right. I’m pleased that Camden has given us the green light and I hope this intriguing, functional and contemporary design will be welcomed by all those who live, work and travel through Euston.'
Weston Williamson + Partners Founding Partner, Chris Williamson said: 'The Euston vent shaft is an important and vital piece of urban infrastructure which facilitates a comfortable environment for all users. It has been a close collaborative design process and the result builds on the best of Britain’s infrastructure heritage with the use of materials and expressing functional requirements.'
The plans were approved by the London Borough of Camden, the local planning authority, under Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act, subject to an agreement on suitable lighting. Its construction will allow the old vent shaft to be removed to make way for the new platforms.
The new shaft will be on Stephenson Way, a small street behind Euston Road, on the site of Wolfson House, which is currently being demolished. The structure will be as big below ground as above, with tunnels linking it to the Northern line.
Costain and Skanska (CSjv) are managing the demolition of Wolfson House, alongside sub-contractors John F Hunt.
A top-down approach is being taken to the demolition, with the building surrounded by an acoustic wrap to limit dust and noise.
In total, more than 2,300 tonnes of concrete and 200 tonnes of steel are expected to be removed during the work, which is due to finish around the end of the year.
Twenty-one tonnes of asbestos were painstakingly removed during the early stages of the project, with a specialist team from John F Hunt brought in to complete the job.
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