The restoration project is a monumental task, not only due to its grand scale; it was in such a derelict state that much of the structure had to be reconstructed in a way that was also faithful to its original design. “It’s not a typical restoration project, it was already a very derelict space; some of the walls had already collapsed and effectively very little (remained) inside the main building itself,” says Sebastien Ricard, director of WilkinsonEyre, who led the project team.

The main aim of this project was to conserve the elements that could be retained while staying true to the building’s industrial roots. “We wanted to retain that sense of the scale of the building and its industrial heritage,” shares Ricard. “We are also raising the existing quirkiness of the building. We do not want this building to look like a new building when it is completed. When people enter the building, they can see what it used to be and they can understand the complexity of its (previous) usage.”

Built in two parts, the structure comprises two turbine halls built in distinctly different styles. Turbine Hall A was first built in the 1930s and is an elaborate space filled with art deco influences; whereas Turbine Hall B was constructed in a more austere style in the 1950s, shortly after the Second World War.

“The 1930s was probably the golden era of electricity; this part (Turbine Hall A) was really been designed as a monument to modernity and technology,” says Ricard. “Turbine Hall B is very beautiful for a different reason; (it had) very utilitarian architecture of the ’50s and was built very quickly in four to five years.”

The firm wanted to celebrate the voluminous sense of space in both turbine halls. Glass-fronted shops are installed around the perimeter of the six storey-high central atrium to keep the views unblocked to show its full height as well as elements of its timeworn details.

“At the south entrance, we exposed the full height and kept the decay of the facade as it is,” he explains. “We wanted to create that kind of magical moment, so that wherever you are in the building you will have a bit of a glimpse of the existing (facade). We kept the middle (the atrium) free, with floating objects of escalators and elevators that allow for maximum view of the facade.”

The two original control rooms of the power station will also find a new purpose; appearing like bandstands “suspended in the air”, these will serve as event spaces that overlook the atrium. These spaces also bear significance in recent film history: cinephiles will recognise the Control Room, which was the setting of a key scene in The King’s Speech. The rooftop of the turbine halls will also house a communal garden, while the luxury apartments are sited in ways that allow for some of the best views of the neighbourhood.

Another outstanding feature of the building is its double-level entrance which connects to the riverfront; this is one of the first sights that greets pedestrians alighting from the soon-to-open Battersea station, built as part of the Tube’s Northern line extension. It features a staircase inspired by the Spanish Steps, the famed butterfly-like staircase in Rome, Italy that also provides an elegant transition to the public plaza. The latter is named Malaysia Square after the district’s developers.

“One of the challenges is that the connection to Nine Elms (district) is about one level below the river; it’s effectively a full site slope,” says Ricard. “That gives us the opportunity of creating a double-level entrance where you can focus on the piazza breaking (into) those curb steps, where people can see it.”

The landmark’s four chimneys have also been painstakingly reconstructed in reinforced concrete and painted in the same style as the original. One of the four chimneys will also discreetly integrate a glass lift that functions as a viewing gallery at the summit; it ascends 109m upwards to the chimney top to unveil panoramic views of the city. “You will find this magical world on top of the chimney that you wouldn’t have known existed in the building,” quips Ricard.

It’s also a brilliant way to survey the massive building, an iconic landmark that is now revitalised for the 21st century.

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