Play in the lap of Art Deco at London’s hottest newbie ‘Battersea’

How the recently renovated and reopened Battersea Power Station is drawing people in with its harmonious mix of old and new

Marriage of Old and New is very evident in the architecture, as well as the interiors

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A brick marvel of the mid 90s, the Battersea was built as a coal-fired power station in a manner so magnificent, it was revered as a cathedral of brick, thanks to the design prowess of a number of designer on its roster including Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The Station stands as one the world’s largest brick building and has jaw dropping art deco fittings and interiors which led to it being listed as a Grade II Heritage Building in 1980 post its closure in the late 1970s.

A brainchild of Malaysian real estate developer SP Setia and EY, in 2012, the Power Station and its surrounding 42 acres of land was adopted to be refurbished as a modern, commercial, residential, leisure and entertainment hub fit for the fast evolving Nine Elms area. Designed by architects WilkinsonEyre, the renovated Battersea area is a breathtaking new development that perfectly preserved the art deco heritage of the Station in a snow globe whilst building a futuristic contemporary complex around it that meets the eye as well as the needs.

Art Deco Influences as can be seen all around the Battersea Mall

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What are some of your favourite things to do in London? Are you a shopaholic or a fan of big city gardens with ponds? Love marvelling at the wonders of the built world or enjoy drinking swanky cocktails at chic bars? Go for special dates to pubs by the lake or find cheap tickets to viewing galleries? Step out of the Battersea Power Station Tube station, and you’ll find all this and much more within walking distance.

Owing to its history as a power station, Battersea had a Brutalist style in its interiors but inside the mall, one is awestruck by how the retail shops soften this and have resulted in a warm, welcoming, high end shopping destination with brands such as Reiss, Ralph Lauren, Theory and more. Venchi has its signature floating ice cream cone installation and looking at it against the brick walls became an even more vivid photo-op. The project paid complete respect to the heritage of the building. It went so far as to ask the original brick suppliers to replenish the new bricks needed for the refurbishment. While there are a lot of beautiful elements there to learn from for newly minted architects who are aficionados of contemporary design, my favourite elements that they should also seek inspiration from are the original girders, the original walls standing proudly right at the entrance preserved in their old glory.

An Old wall retained as it existed in the original Power Station

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Control Room B, now Wing B of the Mall has a central anchor that’s hard to miss, and harder to not fall in love with and that is its Cocktail Lounge. I wouldn’t blame you if you used it as a backdrop for your role play games and felt inclined to dress up in a mid length tailored gingham dress to meet your factory worker date for a post work tipple as the place successfully retains a hearty 1940s club vibe. If that’s not your scene, maybe you’d like to sit next to the river to eat food you’ve picked from a food truck while you sipped on your favourite pint? Though I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to step out for it before you step into the whiter than white, greener than green lobby of the Sky View Gallery for an eye catching view of Chelsea, Thames and the realm beyond.

Control Room B Cocktail Bar

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London has successfully been rehabilitating dilapidated industrial structures into cornerstones of commercial and leisure activities whilst simultaneously activating previously under used areas around them. Whether it was Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross or Tate Modern at the South Bank, these complexes carry with them the charm of yesterday while representing the cosmopolitanism of today making it discernible to understand why they stand to be more charming than their current or ancient counterparts. Given the history of successful refurbishments in London, while one might not think of the renovation of Battersea as an arduous task, it was in fact, as quoted, one of the most challenging engineering and architectural tasks in London’s history, evidenced not merely by the fact that thrice the amount of steel used to construct Eiffel Tower was used in this refurbishment. That alone in itself makes the newly minted Battersea Complex worthy of a visit.

Still not convinced? Well Go Ape just opened their obstacle course in the Battersea Park, not so far from the Boating Pond and the Putt Putt Golf Courses. Oh and if it rains on your visit like it did on mine, don’t worry, you can just continue your riveting game inside at the indoor mini golf course! Whether you’re 2 or 24 or 42, whether you’re on a date or shopping for one, whether you’re looking for a work space or work inspiration, Battersea has something for everyone and it takes merely one visit to realise why its set to become one of London’s chicest destination.

By a certain age, we’ve all gotten a hang of what we want, where we want to go, and we rarely experience the magic we felt when we fell in love with something for the very first time. I truly believe a visit to Battersea can envelope you in the beautiful warmth the marriage of old and new never fails to exude.

Venchi’s Signature Shop Front Display

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An eye catching corner display at the Battersea Book Shop

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