Developing Battersea Power Station: what’s next?
Battersea Power Station. A landmark inLondon. The big abandoned building calls to mind Pink Floyd’s iconic album cover for their 1977 album “Animals”, or the Beatles in their movie “Help!”, where the station appears.
Despite being born a power station, projects for future developments of the area have been brought forward, scrapped, brought back, forgotten, declined. Plans keep coming, and have been doing so ever since its closure in 1983: one of the most recent ones was to turn the area into a residential zone with new apartments.
Recession bit, and such plans were halted a couple of years ago. Now what?
It is recent news that Chelsea Football Club has put in a bid to build a new stadium for the team, thrilling football fans and worrying those who can already picture the big old-fashioned building being demolished.
While building a new stadium might sound like a good redevelopment idea for such area, it would seem more appropriate to consider plans that would give a wider audience the chance to enjoy such historical building as it stands on a very central location and is sitting on the banks of the river Thames. Are we sure not to have received any hints pertaining that?
Battersea Power Station has probably tried to get the message through without succeeding, and someone hasn’t been listening. Those who would be against such selective project would probably never forget to emphasize the emblematic and symbolic relevance of the place. Again, Pink Floyd and the Beatles. Yes, the connection is there.
Music.
The echoes of news of another London power station being demolished are still resounding around Bankside. What today is known as Tate Modern, was already being brought down when it was saved last minute. I know what you’re thinking: we should not have another power station turning into an art museum as London already has too many. Then, why not transform a building that already is important in terms of contemporary music history to hold musical events, why not a museum of music? It could be both. The building is so huge, and pictures from the inside show a refined art deco style that would probably go to waste, were the station to be turned into a stadium. There could be halls and rooms dedicated to classical music, with orchestras playing every day, rooms for music entertainment and events, and it could be the home of the London busking scene! But when the big bubble of imagination bursts, we’ll realise such plans would need to be funded.
7 Comments on “Developing Battersea Power Station: what’s next?”
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The Museum of Music idea is an intriguing one, but really, a building that big and that sound can be lots of things. If gasometers can be turned into apartments (http://www.wiener-gasometer.at/en), why not this? Working out innovative solutions is indeed hard work–much easier to let the wrecking ball fly. But the physical and cultural waste is too high a price to pay.
Yes, I agree that such big building can be home to many projects. However, I feel it should be dedicated to just one dominating theme, in this case music. In the same way Tate Modern was fully dedicated to contemporary arts! It could also host musical courses, as well as events and much more!
I think that’s a great idea – all you need to do now is sow the seed of this idea with a big organisation (with lots of money) that represents the Brirish music industry. I wonder if there’s an institute or some other such organisation? I don’t know any off-hand. Or, what if Orange or Vodafone got involved? It could be a direct competitor to the O2 Arena.
What a great idea! All you need to do now is sow the seed for this idea with a national organisation (with lots of money) that reprsents the British Music industry. I don’t know of any such institute but i’m sure there’ll be something thereabouts. Or, what about Orange or Vodafone (or howabouts Google to promote their Nexus phones?). It could be a direct competitor to the O2 Arena.
I agree! It’s such an important spot in London, I wonder why no big organisations or companies haven’t come up with projects yet!
Absolutely agree ! Great article !!!!
Thank you! I really hope someone sees the potential it has!