By Shawn Williams
Taking over Camden Town Hall Annex, a Brutalist civic building noted for its rows of futuristic oblong windows, the Standard London represents the latest big push in the revitalization of the Kings Cross neighborhood. The 266-room property, with interiors by Shawn Hausman Design, is chock-full of bright décor that nods to the youthquake culture of the 1960s, but the sophisticated execution steers well clear of kitsch. An external lift, painted in the Standard’s signature red, recalls both London’s beloved double-decker buses and classic British phone booths.