The designs by the two architectural practices were chosen following an international design competition held in September 2013. They include new homes and a new pedestrianised retail street in the area to the south of the power station. The developer said that the designs reflect the shareholders’ commitment to creating world-class buildings that will complement the iconic power station, while becoming destinations in their own right.
Phase Three is a key part of the regeneration of the Battersea site, and will feature a new high street for London, to be known as The Electric Boulevard. This will be the main gateway to the entire Battersea development, connecting the Northern Line extension station with the power station itself.
A new community is being created on the 42-acre site. The third phase will comprise over 1,300 homes in a range of sizes and styles in two zones on either side of the boulevard. In addition, there will be a 160-room hotel and 350,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space.
Gehry Partners has designed the five buildings to the east of The Electric Boulevard, to be known as Prospect Place. Prospect Place will house double-height retail units at street level, approximately half of the planned residential units, a community park and multi-use community hub. Prospect Place will be anchored by the distinctive ‘Flower’ building.
Foster + Partners has designed the building that undulates along the line of the boulevard to its west. The Skyline will incorporate two floors of retail units will front on to the western side and huge breaks in the façade will allow light through to the public spaces below, while creating gardens in the sky. The top of the entire building is given over to one of London’s largest roof gardens, over a quarter of a kilometre long, with views of the power station and the city beyond. It will house the other half of the planned residential units, including 103 units of affordable housing, a medical centre and a 160-room hotel.
Frank Gehry, founder of Gehry Partners, said: “Our goal from the start has been to create a neighbourhood that connects into the historic fabric of the city of London, but one that has its own identity and integrity. We have tried to create humanistic environments that feel good to live in and visit.”
Grant Brooker, design director and senior partner at Foster + Partners, said: “We moved our own office to Wandsworth almost twenty five years ago – the borough is very important to us, so we were absolutely delighted to be chosen by the shareholders of Battersea Power Station to be part of this inspiring regeneration project. It will transform the area and create a vibrant new district for South London that we can all be proud of.”
The Battersea Power Station master plan, designed by Rafael Vinoly, comprises over 3,400 homes as well as offices, shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, community and leisure facilities and 18 acres of open space. Work began on Phase One of the development, known as Circus West, in July 2013 while work on the restoration of the Grade II* listed Power Station itself is gathering pace, with the reconstruction of the first of the iconic chimneys set to start shortly.
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