Authenticity & Integrity in the Adaptive Re-Use of Victorian Railway Architecture

This dissertation intends to discuss authenticity and integrity in the context of major adaptive re-use Victorian railway architecture projects, having St Pancras and King’s Cross as case studies.
The aim is to understand if adaptive re-use is the most successful form of conservation, through the evaluation of recent transformations, their history and context. It is intended to comprehend the impact of political, economic, social, technological, legal or environmental factors, and understand how these factors have compromised the authenticity and integrity in the case study stations; and to what extent were the projects successful.
This aim is achieved using close observation of the buildings, combined with documentary research and the reviewing of planning documents, design briefs, conservation policies, guidelines, charters and old photographs as work methodology. Moreover, this research focuses on contact with conservators, architects, heritage advisers along with Network Rail managers, collecting their valuable experience and knowledge, through a series of interviews and questionnaires.
It is intended to make those stakeholders evaluate what was done in those two Grade I listed buildings and demonstrate that both projects are financially driven and whilst major alteration and adaption have inevitably led to loss of historic fabric and authenticity, it has also allowed the buildings to survive.
Both the St Pancras and King’s Cross projects have hopefully shown developers that re-using and repairing old buildings can have enormous public support and benefits compared with demolition and rebuilding.
Nevertheless, it would be useful to extend this study to the context of King’s Cross Railway Lands and also to the Euston redevelopment.