December 21, 2011

Battersea Power Station: the power of dreams

Battersea Power Station is in the news again following the announcement of an £8bn redevelopment plan by Malaysian investors. There have been many false starts over the years …

Battersea Power station, London* — Battersea Power station, London* Photograph: Dan Chung/The Guardian

Battersea power station: 1936: The original design of Battersea Power Station — Battersea Power Station as it was in 1936, with only two chimneys; the second pair of chimneys were added later Photograph: Fox Photos/Getty Images

John Broome inside the Turbine Hall of Battersea Power Station, 1987 — John Broome, the impresario behind Alton Towers, inside the vast marbled turbine hall of the power station in 1987. Broome’s consortium announced plans to convert the building into a Disney-style leisure complex Photograph: PA

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher unveils plans in 1988 — Prime minister Margaret Thatcher unveils plans for Europe’s largest leisure park to be built at the station in 1988 Photograph: Steve Back/Daily Mail/Rex

Battersea power station: 2001: A design for a permanent performance home for the Cirque du Soleil — 2001: A design for a permanent performance home for the Cirque du Soleil was granted planning approval in 2001
Illustration: Grimshaw

The power station as it was in 2003, still derelict — The power station as it was in 2003, still derelict Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

An artist's image of a redeveloped Battersea power station, 2005 — Designed by Grimshaw for developers Parkview, this 2005 redevelopment proposed the power station as entertainment and leisure destination containing bars, restaurants, cinemas and retail outlets, along with a rooftop hotel by celebrated designer Ron Arad
Illustration: PR/PA

2005: An artist's impression of redeveloped Battersea power station — Another view of the proposed Grimshaw/Parkview redevelopment, seen from above the river Illustration: PR/PA

Battersea power station: 2004: Architect Ron Arad’s scheme for a luxury hotel on top of the station — Artist’s impression of Ron Arad’s scheme for a luxury hotel on top of the power station
Illustration: Ron Arad Architects Ltd

Battersea power station: Grimshaw’s final scheme for the PowerStation — Grimshaw’s final scheme for the power station was to include a rooftop ‘Grazing Plateau’ along with a new home for the Victoria & Albert Museum
Photograph: Grimshaw Illustration: Grimshaw

Battersea Power Station stands behind hoardings in 2005 — The power station standing behind hoardings in 2005, at the point where Parkview’s redevelopment work was due to begin Photograph: Graeme Robertson/Getty Images

Aerial view of derelict Battersea power station — But in 2006 the south London landmark was more dilapidated than ever, something particularly apparent from the air Photograph: Dan Chung/The Guardian

Photographers inside Battersea Power Station, 2007 — Photographers inside a still empty and roofless turbine hall in 2007 Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian

Redevelopment plans for Battersea power station — 2008 and another redevelopment plan. A firm of Irish developers, REO, wanted to relaunch the famous site as a power station, featuring a new, much taller chimney rising 300 metres (984ft) as part of a vast plastic eco-dome Illustration: PR

The new turbine hall — The turbine hall as it would have looked in this development. As well as offices and retail space, the project included plans for 3,200 homes
Illustration: Treasury Holdings

Aerial view — An aerial view of the site as it would have appeared, looking east across the city
Illustration: Treasury Holdings

Roof garden — A roof garden was part of REO’s proposal
Illustration: Treasury Holdings

Artist's impression of a scheme to redevelop Battersea Power Station — Another year, another redevelopment plan as the towering chimney is vetoed by the London mayor, Boris Johnson, 2009 Illustration: PA

The Conservatives launch their election manifesto in 2009 — The Conservatives launch their election manifesto at Battersea Power Station in 2009. REO was hoping to spin off the redevelopment project and float it on the Alternative Investment Market (Aim)
Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

An inflatable pig flies above Battersea Power Station in a recreation of Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ album cover, 2011 — An inflatable pig flies above Battersea Power Station in a recreation of Pink Floyd’s ‘Animals’ album cover in 2011. The holding company for the power station was placed in administration; Chelsea football club were thought to be strong candidates for the site at one stage Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

An artist's impression of an £8 billion redevelopment by a Malaysian consortium — 2012, An artist’s impression of how the latest proposal, an £8bn redevelopment of the 39-acre site led by a Malaysian consortium, will look Illustration: Employees Provident Fund/PA

The power station forms the centre point of the redvelopment — The power station and its concrete towers will form the centre point of the development Illustration: Employees Provident Fund/PA

Two of the four iconic smokestacks in the derelict building — But there’s a lot of work to do... Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters

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