Architectural Powerhouse – The Battersea Effect

How a derelict icon has become a redevelopment celebrity.

‘Iconic’ is becoming an overused word these days, but is there any other more suitable moniker for the Architectural Power House… AKA the Battersea Power Station? Originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, this London pre-war baby has been starring as an extraordinary and unique landmark since the ribbon was cut on A station in 1933.

This made its derelict lost years an even more confusing sight for those of us who drove past it regularly. It’s hard to fathom, but in the end, this massive piece of prime London real estate remained a ghost town for nearly three decades.

That all changed in 2013, when the redevelopment of the power station building and chimneys began. The project was put in the supremely capable hands of Sebastien Ricard of WilkinsonEyre to restore the original grade II* listed art deco structure into the centrepiece of a new commercial and residential neighbourhood in Battersea.  

Described by RIBA as one of the most important regeneration projects of the 21st century, the process of the building’s regeneration is a masterclass in sympathetic and bullish determination to get things right. The effect that the Battersea Station is having on the rest of the Architecture industry is immeasurable. 

Ricard explained the joint approach to what has become the blueprint in handling a culturally important project like Battersea: “As custodians of one of the UK’s most loved landmarks, Battersea Power Station’s shareholders and Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) have taken the responsibility of restoring the Grade II* listed building extremely seriously and have ensured the very highest level quality has been delivered throughout, whilst maintaining as much of the original fabric as possible.” 

There’s no better example of this than the painstaking work done on the most standout feature of the Power Station – its four magnificent chimneys. Each of them was rebuilt between 2014 and 2017, incredibly using the same construction technique employed during the original building of the Power Station in the 1930s and ‘50s.  

Ricard explained that “rather than use a hose to pour the concrete, 680 tonnes of concrete were lifted in a hoist to the top of the chimney, transferred into wheelbarrows and then hand poured into the structures. The Power Station’s chimneys form a part of the London skyline so to assuage concern about whether they could successfully be rebuilt, the first chimney had to be dismantled and reconstructed before the remaining three could undergo the same treatment.” 

Another original feature which, thanks to WilkinsonEyre, remains a part of the Battersea Power Station experience is the Boiler House. Marked out as the site for a “box in a box”, the Boiler House is now the womb enclosing suspended office accommodation. This ingenious idea allows the north and south elevations to be seen from inside, and preserves views up to the towering chimneys. 

The lowest three levels of the building now contain over 100 shops, and numerous cafes and restaurants. 

Accessed through a square originally designed by Danish studio BIG and delivered by WilkinsonEyre, the entrance hall contains a full-height atrium set behind an original retained wall. From here, escalators lead up to a central office space created for Apple. 

As if this wasn’t enough, 254 plush residential apartments lie along the edges and top of the original building. This includes two floors of penthouses on top of the Boiler House, which surround a central garden. 

The result is an outstanding success story to add to the growing number of renovation projects aiming to preserve and reuse the buildings of the past. This is fast becoming a global phenomenon, so it comes as no surprise that RIBA want to discuss the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in detail.  

On 20 April 2023, between 6.30pm and 8pm, Sebastien Ricard is delivering a lecture at RIBA HQ. His in-depth analysis will trace the origins of the decade-long project, outlining not only the architectural approaches required, but also the research and design processes involved.  

The importance of the Battersea project cannot be overstated. And, as we can’t resist a truly dreadful pun here at mustard BE, BE there or be square!  

Does the Battersea Power Station redevelopment inspire you?

If so, we’d love to talk to you about some of the groundbreaking projects which we are regularly asked to recruit for. Our BE team are a powerhouse of Built Environment recruitment specialists, and they are extremely eager to get to know you.