How Obsolete Gas Storage Containers in London Were Transformed Into a Luxury Apartment Complex

There used to be a lot of gasholders in the United Kingdom. A regrettable name, perhaps—they were once called gasometers, but that’s progress for you—these enormous metal containers helped store gas to power urban areas. This was back in the 1850s, of course, when you needed a lot of the stuff to help keep the lights on. Now technology has made the proud gasholder irrelevant, and they’ve been consistently demolished since 1999. Some have endured, however, including a trio at King’s Cross in London. Rather than tear down the surviving frames, architects WilkinsonEyre transformed them into a set of luxury apartment dwellings dubbed—yup—Gasholders.

It was no small undertaking. The cast-iron frames were taken down and restored before being re-erected in a different location with the new buildings. Each tower was made to be a different height, an homage to how the original vessels rose up and down depending on their internal pressure. Once the frames, including 123 columns, were refurbished (a process that took over two years) they were put back in place around the new residential structures.

One of the penthouses, a duplex unit listed for $9.6 million, sits atop the tallest stack. The 2,829-square-foot, three-bedroom residence was furnished by Suna Interior Design. A Paul Smith rug in the living room, called Carnival, serves as the inspirational cue with its brown, orange and blue hues. That palette persists throughout the home via a color-blocked Moon-B chair by Charles Kalpakian in the main hallway and a bronze chandelier by Tigermoth Lighting in the dining room. If you admire the setup enough, it’s yours—for an extra $311,900. But there’s more to the place than just slick staging. On a more practical level, all the kitchen appliances are by Gaggenau, plus you get an extra 1,009 square feet of space via the private roof terrace, which offers 360-degree views of London.

Residents will also have access to all of the amenities that Gasholders has to offer, including the spa and gym, residents’ lounge, screening room, games room and 24-hour concierge. An unusual perk is the courtyard, set among the three buildings where the Victorian-era frames interlock.

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