Battersea Power Station
Originally uploaded by ultrahi.
Today we cycled (yes, cycled) down to Battersea Power Station which is currently open to let you walk around. Sweet! Battersea is such a classic London landmark, but for years no-one has had any real idea what to do with it. Everyone wants it to stay there, but it’s not an easy building to adapt to other purposes.
The present proposal is for the outer shell to be kept, small spaces to be added inside the walls and a park to be created around the site. Then behind the power station a new building is proposed, using ecological principles to minimise its carbon footprint; basically it’s a tower like an old kiln, but built totally of glass – the direct sun causes the air inside to heat and rise, generating electricity and also automated cooling effects. It all looks very clever, and definately something to watch out for.
Oh, and happy Independence Day to all my American chums!