Battersea power station - regeneration of an icon

Since decommissioning in 1983 Battersea Power Station was untouched: the iconic structure proved challenging to repurpose and, exposed to the elements with degrading condition, it quickly evolved into London's most notorious ruin. The restoration of the structure started in 2012, with the completed building opening in 2022. The engineering and construction challenges of the project were vast. Often referred to "The Everest of Real Estate", reflecting its scale and complexity, the engineering and construction challenges revolved around preserving the existing fabric and installing a new structure within the existing shell to facilitate the new mix-used development. The approach to the redevelopment has been to adopt a 'light touch' and sympathetic approach, with a drive to reuse as much structure as possible. Consequently, reuse of the existing structures, including internal structures and refurbishment of the existing brickwork have led to a reuse of more than 44,000 tons of CO2e of legacy carbon, equivalent to around 20% of the total embodied carbon in the completed structure. The completed project has led the way for the social, economic, and environmental transformation to the Vauxhall and Nine Elms area, creating a new town centre for Wandsworth with a community of homes, shops, cafes, offices and over 19 acres of public space.