As I mentioned yesterday, I stopped by the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station during my walk along the Thames on Sunday. It's a famous structure (said to be Europe's largest brick building) that you've probably seen in pictures and movies over the years -- for example, on the cover of Pink Floyd's album "Animals."
The coal-burning power station was built in two phases between 1929 and 1955. It was decommissioned in 1983, and for more than 30 years it sat empty, a hulking ruin that was the subject of many fruitless redevelopment schemes. Soon after Dave and I first came to London in 2011, I visited the vacant station with a photography group (although we didn't get to go inside).
That seems like a long time ago now! Battersea has finally, finally been redeveloped and has reopened as a complex of shopping, restaurants, offices, apartments and other amenities.
The gateway above (by artist and designer Morag Myerscough) leads beneath the adjacent rail bridge to the station itself.
Here's the plaza in front of the Art Deco power station...
...and here's the interior of one of the turbine halls, which contains a multi-level shopping mall. Since I wasn't there to shop I didn't pay much attention to the stores, but there are lots of famous brands.
Behind the power station is another plaza with more new apartment buildings in futuristic blocky and curvy shapes.
The strong structural lines provide opportunities for some interesting photos. Starting today, there's a scenic elevator that goes up one of the smokestacks to a viewing platform, but that feature wasn't yet open when I visited. I'll have to go back!
Here's the entire complex from the other side of the Thames. The elevator will ascend the northwest smokestack, second from the left in the picture above. There are various games and rides open along the riverfront beside the station, as well as an ice-skating rink.
The power station has only been open about a month, so lots of people are visiting out of curiosity. I hope it continues to get the traffic it needs to keep all those shops open. The nearby apartments, offices and the scenic elevator should help sustain it. (Also, the U.S. Embassy and many other office and residential buildings are within walking distance along the Thames near Vauxhall, and Chelsea is just across the river.)
21 comments:
An impressive building.
That will be a good place to return to with a camera
I knew it was being " done up" but didn't know it has shops, and the lift to the view sounds great, if rather costly!
Looks like a winner. I also love the lines of the new apartment buildings.
Thanks for the report and photos of a dominant building along the Thames. Whatever happens to the building in the future, it has been saved.
Good to see you had an interesting walk around (especially considering how you felt that morning). :)
I always associate Battersea with the many times my family went to the Battersea Fun Fair back in the 1950s. Sliding around Helter Skelter...or even more frightening...going on the giant swing boat. As a child, I was terrified I was going to fall out of it. Then, having seen Roger Waters' The Wall Live, a silhouette of Battersea power station looms large in that production.
I remember the Pink Floyd Animals cover and I have also seen Roger Waters The Wall live in Warsaw.
Perhaps ironically, given political tensions, many of the apartments you mentioned have been bought by Chinese and Russian investors. More evidence that this is a crazy world.
Interesting that the apartment buildings seem to be looking back to art deco. I like the curves as a relief from the blocky surroundings. Thanks so much for sharing pictures and history.
That really is an impressive achievement! The different styles of architecture represented and used almost hurt my mind though. I look at it and I don't know how to FEEL. Is that weird?
First, I LOVED your woohoo for our election results. What a relief.
Second, I love these photos and the photos you took over 11 years ago. It looks like they have done a good job with the redevelopment. That artistic entrance is very inviting. And, all that housing construction around the place should help keep it busy. That elevator sounds like a fun way to get some views over the city. I'll keep that in mind when I return to London. I haven't been to the top of the Shard either. Thanks for this tour around the place.
I knew nothing about the Battersea Power Station. It's a beautiful building and hopefully will survive. I didn't realize it was two buildings built at different times. It's very iconic looking.
I love that an effort was made to recycle the building.
I like seeing the view from the other side of the Thames.
I remember seeing Battersea back in the 70s when I was last "home" on leave with my family. I remember it being a brick hulk - not appreciating the gorgeous architecture. I am so glad they didn't bulldoze it. Thanks for the memories and for sharing what they have done with it.
A friend recently visited and said it was quite interesting. I should think the shop rental would be very expensive. But what a great location. It's nice to see the restoration.
I saw a post about this on another blog recently and she had some great photos of it, too. I think it's a wonderful way to repurpose a building!
Catching up with you1 Two glorious posts! I love that area!
Thanks for the look around, it is grand!
Very good use of an old space.
What a fabulous way to use the old power station! England really does do this sort of thing very well. I like the futuristic plaza too.
Over here no one can ever decide any damn thing, so consultants and committees argue back and forth until whatever they are deciding about crumbles into dust (possibly a slight exaggeration), then the land sits empty for decades while people put forth ideas on what to build there and all those living nearby shoot down those ideas with "not in my backyard mate!" (another slight exagggeration)
GZ: Definitely lots of photo opportunities!
Frances: Yeah, I'm eager to try the lift! Everything in London is costly. LOL
Mitchell: It's interesting architecture, for sure, though I'm not sure how I'd feel about living over such a busy area.
Andrew: Yeah, I'd say its future is secure at this point.
Mary: It's interesting how the Pink Floyd guys have used and re-used Battersea in their imagery.
Northsider: Seeing "The Wall" live would be pretty awesome! I used to listen to that album over and over in college.
YP: I wondered what percentage of them have foreign owners. That's a perennial problem with new buildings in London.
Boud: That's true -- they do seem to be striking a harmony with the power station itself.
Ms Moon: I think, as Boud said, they actually tried to harmonize the new construction with the style of the power station. Whether the succeeded or not is up to you to decide!
Sharon: We went up in the Shard years ago and it's an amazing view. I will be eager to try this one too.
Pixie: It IS very iconic. It's interesting that it took 26 years to build it and then it only operated (once completed) another 28 years!
Ed: Me too. So glad they didn't just tear it down. I'm sure demolishing something that large would cost a fortune.
Robin: It's always been an impressive view!
Merlot: It's hard to look at a ruin and see the potential in it. I'm glad someone had the imagination, in this case.
Jeanie: Yeah, I'm sure the overhead on those shops isn't cheap! Probably why so many of them are chain retailers.
Kelly: It is!
Linda Sue: Glad you could relive some London memories! :)
Catalyst: Isn't it? I think they did an amazing job.
River: Well, this restoration took a LONG time -- decades. There were several alternate plans that were born and died before anything finally came to fruition.
I'm glad they finally repurposed Battersea. Reminds me of the Astrodome, unused since 2009 I think and in terrible disrepair. There have been proposals for repurposing this historic stadium but so far nothing has been done.
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