Battersea Power Station
The Building of Battersea Power Station started in 1929 and was completed in 1939, it was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert who also designed Waterloo Bridge, the K6 also known as the red telephone box and another London Power Station called "Bank-Side" which is now "The Tate Modern Art Gallery"
Battersea Power Station which has been described as looking like an upturned snooker table from a distance originally only had 2 chimneys. It was renovated in 1953 to duplicate the original design to include the famous 4 chimneys which we see today.
The Power Station has been the Symbol for many music album covers including Pink Floyds 1977 album "Animals" where an inflatable pig was photographed attatched to one of the chimneys. It was a setting in an Alfred Hitchcock film "Sabotage", appeared in a Doctor Who television episode and In more modern times has appeared briefly in the background of an episode of the television series Lost and also used as inspiration for the "Advanced Power Plant" structure in the PC game Command & Conquer: Red Alert.
The Power Station has been inactive since 1982, There have been many projects and plans for the Power Station since its closure including to turn it into an indoor Theme Park and currently a Development company Parkview International has started work on a project to redevelop the power station and its site. The plan includes two hotels, a theatre, cinema, flats, offices, showrooms and a dedicated rail link from Victoria Station. They also propose to build a one-table restaurant at the top of one of the chimneys. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battersea_Power_Station)
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