During the launch of his new album, ‘The Bridge’, Sting visited the historic Control Room B at Battersea Power Station, which has been fully restored to its former glory and will offer a unique bar experience once the London landmark opens its doors to the public next year.
At its peak, Battersea Power Station produced a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognisable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Working in tandem with Control Room A, Control Room B managed the distribution of power generated by the Power Station’s turbines. Functionally Control Room B can be divided into two sets of controls. The control desk and freestanding controls synchronised the 66kV output of the station to match the standards of the grid, while the switchgear racks at the rear of the room controlled the power supplies to a range of auxiliary equipment across the power station.
Control Room B opens directly onto Turbine Hall B, in contrast to the 1930s Control Room A which was a separate room – this maybe evidence of developments in the management methods at that time. As it was built after the Second World War, it is more brutalist in design. It has faience tiling throughout and retains its original human scale stainless-steel control panels arranged in an arc. The original control room fittings, desks and switchgear complex are defining features of the space and have been fully restored as part of the wider regeneration of Battersea Power Station.
Once open to the public late next summer, Control Room B will be an all-day hospitality concept, transforming into an intimate bar in the evening – it will have a modern and contemporary feel with a respectful nod to its 1950s industrial character. The restored control panels will be on display creating a unique backdrop, photo opportunity and conversation starter.
