A Cathedral of Power

A magic cloud machine. An art deco masterpiece. An ugly eyesore. Whatever you want to call it, there is no denying that Battersea Power Station is one of London’s biggest talking points. Designed by one of the greatest architects of the age, its chimneys rise up from London’s riverside in an almighty statement of post-war modernism. Church analogies are not without reason – its nickname as the Cathedral of Power is a fitting title.

Our vision for a new visitor experience at Battersea Power Station was as ambitious as the building is vast. More than ride up to an observation deck, we sought to reignite its past life.

Our story is not just one of an iconic building; it is the story of a place and the people who made it. The building itself sits at the centre of a larger ecosystem of jetties, cranes, rail spurs and coal bunkers. It was run by a small army who toiled to feed the giant machine, and whose life stories spread out across London and beyond.

Our proposed concept saw you begin your journey in the great turbine hall. Hidden within its walls are the fascinating stories of the people who worked here. Told for the first time, their stories become the lifeblood of the power station. Here, the design not only takes inspiration from the almighty building – it makes a feature of it. The massive volumes, giant steelwork and industrial aesthetic form the ley lines of the experience as the raw authenticity of the building rules supreme. A trail of beautifully crafted, industrial-inspired forms rise up from the ground as abstractions of chimney. They become an installation of beacons that contain displays, hidden stories and moments of interactivity drawing you through the experience.

Our proposed journey through the space culminated in the Chimney Lift Experience. As you enter the chimney space, you look up to see a truly jaw-dropping view of the sky encased in the brick tower. The space is taken over with a mesmerising audio-visual show that celebrates the power of this icon as the lift rises up through the chimney to the sky. As you arrive at the top, you step out onto the viewing platform to take in the breath-taking, uninterrupted view of London’s skyline, out to the Surrey hills and countryside beyond.