The restoration work to the Grade II* listed Power Station will commence in October 2013 - marking the 30 year anniversary of the power being turned off at Battersea Power Station. The restoration of the Power Station building and chimneys is expected to complete in 2016.
The programme will commence with an initial £100m package of repair works, which will lead to the comprehensive renovation of the exterior of the Power Station building. This first phase of the works involves repairs to the external brickwork, wash towers, the steel frame, windows and the replacement of the four chimneys, which will be reconstructed to the highest structural standards ensuring they remain a landmark on the London skyline for generations to come.
Battersea Power Station Development Company is now focusing on finalising the detailed design of the interior of the Power Station, building on the existing Rafael Vinoly masterplan for the site. To assist this process, Battersea Power Station Development Company is working with a number of specialist consultants.
Buro Happold and Purcell will provide structural engineering and façade repairs advice. Buro Happold has worked on Battersea Power Station for over 10 years and has a huge knowledge of the listed structure. Specialist heritage architecture practice Wilkinson Eyre Architects has been appointed to complete the detailed design. Gardiner & Theobald is appointed as the repairs cost consultant, and Turner & Townsend is the project manager for the repairs.
Commenting on the restoration programme the Chief Executive of Battersea Power Station Development Company, Rob Tincknell, said: “Battersea Power Station is at the heart of this exciting new community, giving it an identity and authenticity unique among London developments. We have assembled an outstanding team to handle the restoration of this iconic building. Their engagement marks the point at which we are delivering the inspiring work of Rafael Vinoly and constructing the world-class destination he has mapped out. The reconstruction of the iconic chimneys is an essential part of the refurbishment and will be undertaken with great care and precision so that they remain a landmark on the London skyline for decades to come.”
Justin Phillips, Partner and Board Director of Buro Happold said; “We have several years’ experience and detailed knowledge of the Power Station building. We are extremely confident that the design solution we are working on with the Battersea Power Station team will ensure that Battersea Power Station has a bright and long future.”
The Power Station is one of the largest brick buildings in Europe and one of the most significant surviving examples of Art Deco architecture in the world. The restoration work will also include the essential replacement of the Power Station’s four iconic chimneys, which will ensure their structural integrity and long-term future as the centrepiece of the project. This vital body of work will be done in conjunction with English Heritage and London Borough of Wandsworth and working to the original architectural plans used at the time of their construction over eighty years ago. Wilkinson Eyre Architects is one of the UK’s leading architecture practices, with a portfolio of national and international award-winning projects. It earned back-to-back success in the RIBA Stirling Prize for Architecture, for the Magna Project in 2001 and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in 2002. The practice’s projects include the new Bodleian Library in Oxford, the Guangzhou International Finance Centre in China; the Basketball Arena for the London 2012 Olympics; and the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth.
Work on the Power Station represents the second phase of the 39-acre Battersea Power Station redevelopment. Last week Carillion was announced as the preferred bidder for the construction of Circus West, the residential and commercial buildings to the west of the Power Station. Preparatory work on Phase One has already begun with main construction works expected to commence in the summer of 2013 and scheduled for completion in 2016.
Source: Battersea Power Station Development Company on Behalf of Battersea Power Station shareholders 30. May 2013 www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk