Once part of London’s industrial landscape and now a recognised feature of the King’s Cross regeneration, Gasholders London added another chapter to its story by hosting a classical concert last week to launch a new London orchestra.
On Wednesday evening, residents gathered beneath the building’s cast-iron frames for the debut performance of The Jupiter Orchestra, in a concert thoughtfully designed to showcase the building’s impressive natural acoustics.
This event marks the first time the historic former gasworks – which were transformed into luxury apartments in 2018 as part of The King’s Cross Group’s regeneration of the estate – has hosted live music.
For the orchestra’s founder and conductor, Christopher Clark, the venue was more than a dramatic backdrop. As a former Gasholders resident, Christopher returned to the development to launch his newly formed orchestra.
Rather than hiring a traditional concert hall, he opted for the building itself to become part of the performance.
Christopher explained:
“Space affects sound. I wanted the audience and the orchestra to experience how the architecture shapes what they hear. When you’re surrounded by a unique structure, balance changes, projection changes. That created something genuinely beautiful.”
For Christopher, whose Jupiter Orchestra has been established as a charitable platform to support emerging musicians, the evening carried both professional and personal meaning.
“To come back and make music here is incredibly special,” he said. “You put excellent musicians in a room, you give them proper time, and you insist on listening at a high level. If the listening is serious, everything improves – balance, detail, and intention.”
The concert, which was put together in partnership with the development’s property management company FirstPort, also acknowledged the architectural vision of the late Chris Wilkinson, founder of WilkinsonEyre. The architectural firm’s transformation of the historic gasholder frames helped to redefine King’s Cross as one of London’s most successful regeneration projects.
The Gasholders development is a distinctive landmark of the city’s industrial past. The apartments wrap around the circular layout of each gasholder, linked by open corridors that curve around the building and overlook a central open space.
On Wednesday, that open space became a concert hall. Neighbours who might normally exchange brief greetings in lifts or corridors instead filled the open balconies to share an hour of live classical music, with the sound rising through the building and reflecting off its curved structure.
FirstPort’s Lisa Kearney, Development Manager at Gasholders, said the performance reflected how the building has evolved since being transformed into 145 luxury residences.
“Gasholders is a brilliant place to live, and it was wonderful to welcome Christopher back and bring residents together in such a special setting,” Lisa said. “We’re proud to play a part in hosting this event for our residents and their guests, especially in a building with such a distinctive history.”
While the gasholders were once a symbol of Victorian infrastructure, they now represent the area’s modern redevelopment. But on this particular evening, the focus wasn’t on architecture or design, and instead it was about residents coming together to enjoy music.
Emily Swainsbury, Head of Residential Asset Management at The King’s Cross Group commented: “Gasholders is one of King’s Cross’s most iconic buildings and it’s great to see residents come together to experience the building in a new way through music.”
For one night, this former gasworks doubled as a concert hall, turning the impressive residential development into a thriving community space.
