The first photos of Battersea Power Station’s newly restored Control Room A have been released, showing the resurrected Art Deco furnishings and style that were all the rage when the control room was opened in 1933. Featuring teak parquet flooring in a herringbone pattern paired with grey and black marbled walls and a gold-painted coffered glass ceiling, the control center was a grandiose reflection of its time.
In what seems an almost impossible feat, the elegance of Control Room A has been painstakingly restored, in some ways looking even more impressive than its original counterpart. Battersea Power Station has partnered with Historic England, Wandsworth Council, lead architects WilkonsonEyre, and restoration specialists Lucas UK to make the magic happen. No detail has been left unnoticed, from the banks of switchboards that run along the western side of the room to the large synchroscopes, long since dormant, that once displayed vital information to engineers on duty. Featured in the Academy Award-winning film The King’s Speech, the semi-circular control desk has also been revived to its former glory.
“The unveiling of our completely restored Control Room A is another pivotal moment in the regeneration of this iconic Grade II* listed building. It has been a key objective to bring these historic areas back to life, whilst remaining true to their original forms. We are looking forward to bringing a new purpose to this piece of London’s history upon our opening this Autumn and to showing the public all of the incredibly detailed restoration work undertaken over the past decade to open this landmark up for all.” -Simon Murphy, CEO at Battersea Power Station Development Company.
Decommissioned in 1983, the Battersea Power Station is a Grade II* Listed Building, marking it as historic and giving it protected status. Looking at it now, it is difficult to believe that the site was near ruin as recently as 2014. This historic restoration precedes the site’s opening this autumn as an event space, and will also occasionally be open to public visitors. The entire project is just part of the area’s plans, as the Battersea Power Station will act as a town center for a new business and residential quarter in London.
