The Megaro Hotel on Euston Road and situated opposite St. Pancras Station in central London is a building to be seen. Last year, a massive, facade-covering mural was commissioned by the building owner which gave the building and new arrivals to the city, a completely made-over view. The owner, Tony Megaro states that, ‘The idea is basically to bring a bit of fun and colour to a drab stretch of road. Now when you come out of St Pancras, you’ll think: wow, what’s that?’
©Ian Cox
The work was carried out by the street arts collective Agents of Change and is titled ‘Marmite’. When I first saw the mural and the subtitle calling it graffiti, I thought ‘Surely someone must have walked out and said “Hey, what are you doing?!” before they finished.’ My grip on reality was shored up when I read that it was indeed commissioned and approved work. Some local residents are not overly thrilled with what they see as the defacement of historical architecture, but… well I don’t really have a response. Yes, the building is inexorably different. Is this good or bad, right or wrong? Just like the work’s namesake, it’s up to the individual to determine this for themselves.
I once read that it’s an editorial cop-out to conclude an article that way, but none-the-less, it’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Project info :
Coordinator: Agents of Change
Location: Front of St. Pancras International Train. Belgrove St, London WC1H 8AB, UK
Year: 2012
Client: Megaro Hotel
Details: Acrylic polymer and aerosol on various surfaces . 450m2
Photo: Ian Cox
All images courtesy of Ian Cox
Anastasia Andreieva is an accomplished Architectural Projects Editor at Arch2O, bringing a unique blend of linguistic expertise and design enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds a Master’s degree in Languages from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her deep passion for architecture and visual storytelling led her to transition from translation and editorial roles into the world of design media. With a keen eye for conceptual clarity and narrative structure, Anastasia curates and presents global architectural projects with precision and flair. She is particularly drawn to parametric and digital design, cultural context, and emerging voices in architecture. When I’m not analyzing the latest architectural trends, you’ll probably find me searching for hidden gems in cityscapes or appreciating the beauty of well-crafted spaces. After all, great design—like great connections—can be found in the most unexpected places. Speaking of connections, because architecture isn’t the only thing that brings people together.