Powerstations and Plastic Balls
Battersea Power Station is clearly the finest structure in London, forget Apsley House, you want imposing might, you can’t go further than Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s magnificent Art Deco monolith of brick.
So he had a stab at the telephone box, and Bankside (or the Tate Modern) is alright, but those four chimney’s rising from clutter of terraces and railway sidings strike an imposing figure over the city skyline. And it’s not surprising, it’s the largest brick building in Europe.
From Pink Floyd to Children of Men, via The Beatles and The Dark Knight, it is scorched into our modern cultural psyche, the Bank of England burnt tens of thousands of pounds in the furnaces there when they thought the Bosch were about to conquer us during WW2. Meanwhile the RAF were using the plumes of smoke to guide them home. Screaming Lord Sutch wanted to cover it in wool and make it look like a dead sheep, John Broome tried to turn it into a theme park.
Now they want to turn it into a naff collection of faux pot plants and cafes, with a riverside walkway way, exterior designed to within an inch of it’s life. They’ll probably fail. But I don’t care, it meant that it was opened for two days for the public to get inside and have a wander, and this just hasn’t happened very often.
(PVZ would have wet himself)
On a different note, but while I have your attention, the next day I attended the Lovebox Weekender, and aside from Goldfrapp having these totally ace guys dressed up like colourful carpets pinging it all over the stage, Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips came out in a massive plastic ball and went walking and crawling all over the crowd, oh, and yeah, their show was amazing too
Mel Brackstone
Same here….I’d have given anything to be there to see inside! Fab shots!! Jealous as hell!
MKWhite
What an awesome structure. You must have been like a kid in a candy shop when you arrived there. Great work :) BTW, Goldfrapp is fun, I’ve always enjoyed their music and style.
Scott Robinson
Damn you.
I am pure seething jealousy
Cathie Tranent
Well. Like 2 & 4 the best … when are we going to see the other 95?
onetonshadow - Minister of Tees replied
Heh, I did go a bit mental, but I thought I’d spare you, plus I shot two rolls of Holga that I won’t get developed until Pete pays me more, so don’t hold out for those.
kathleen
hmmm… they did that here in Brisbane… they turned the Powerhouse at Newfarm into a snobby arts centre… kept all the graffitti as spectacles of the street kids that used to hovel there in the rust and dirt and cold, it very industrial and raw in its design… it’s a great place… one of my favourites and there are a heap of photos in my folio from there… but it’s a a living paradox really considering it’s history… we went in there about 10 years ago, before all the full renovations… it was basically a bit toxic pit of rusted water… I mean, they had to do something with it… but when we were dangerously crawling over the roof tops it was painfully obvious many many homeless were living there quite comfortably in consideration… I wonder where they are all now, and I hope that the wine sipping inner-city yuppies that live around the area appreciate the pain and suffering that probably went into that graffitti that they wander around and think… oh isn’t that edgy, so very hip... you know, the images in my head of those that were dwelling there haven’t left, even when the theatre is full of comedy show goers… :-)
Cathie Tranent
Damn – would a quick whip around help??
jemimalovesbigted
more, more, more, loving your journey updates!
Natalie Tyler
I would love one of those giant plastic balls.
How about a whip around for one of those?
sjem ©
Yes. The redevelopment plans are quite shocking.
The environmental aspects are brilliant – but, it’s just ugly. They also seem to be attempting the creation of a new landmark building by trying to out-do the existing landmark building. Never a good idea.
More piccies here.
Cathie Tranent
Complete lack of dignity. How horrible is the interior all shiny white and sterile??
Paul Vanzella
that is one of my most favourite structures ever!!!! you lucky dog.. GREAT SHOTS!
sjem ©
Cathie – that’s merely an old trick of the trade.
White and bright = beautiful and lovely. You have seen through this gimmick and I congratulate you.
For me it’s a telling sign of the subtext in this development, turning a beautiful industrial era relic into a sterile place to buy your new Gucci handbag.
raae
You shot Holga? What the fuck? Domestic violence is on the rise fo sho.
I like the stairs shot the best.
Cathie Tranent
sjem,
I’m no architect nor interior designer, but if they had to turn it into another bloody shopping mall, couldn’t they have come up with something a little more sympathetic??
rdmn, there is the answer to your film dilemma. Become a one man picket line – the resulting publicity will sell more of your work and then you will be able to afford to get the film developed!! /grin.
littlepickle
goldfrapp were stunning at Lovebox – my main reason for attending…. and BPS is my favourite London landmark – fantastic pictures.
peter
The new RB office?
onetonshadow - Minister of Tees replied
Holy crap, that’s an ace idea. Glass domed meeting rooms on top of each chimney.
mister khan
i think they should turn it into a power station. it looks ideal for it.
sjem ©
RB HQ eh ?
Do you ahhh … need an architect for that by any chance ?
onetonshadow - Minister of Tees replied
Yeah, do you know any?
sjem ©
I do. But they are all tossers.
Get this guy
onetonshadow - Minister of Tees replied
That’s mad.
Yeah I had heard this too. And they like Audis, and never use capitals in their names.
Natalie Tyler
I think Peter was referring to the ball in the Flaming Lips shot … not the Powerstation.
onetonshadow - Minister of Tees replied
Oh good call.
You could roll about on top of the crowds at Waterloo each morning, might get your coffee everywhere mind you. Luckily I don’t drink the evil shit.
Dan Biggins
I absolutely love this building, and you’re so lucky to have gained access…great shots!