Battersea Power Station

Introduction

Battersea Power Station, one of London’s most iconic landmarks, has undergone a transformative £9 billion redevelopment, converting the former industrial site into a vibrant mixed-use destination. As part of the project’s extensive regeneration, Shepherd Gilmour was commissioned by Dearneside Fabrications to provide specialist structural design expertise for several critical elements of the project. Working under CDM 2015 regulations, our team contributed to the successful delivery of the project between 2018 and 2022, collaborating with several teams and ensuring seamless integration of design and construction.

Our Role

Our primary responsibility was the detailed design of key building ancillary components, focusing on numerous feature stairs, both internal and external, walkway bridges, architectural metalwork and glazing. Shepherd Gilmour was engaged to provide innovative engineering solutions, ensuring both aesthetics and functionality were preserved while meeting the structural requirements of the redevelopment, in accordance with relevant British Standards and Eurocodes. Notable highlights of our involvement include:

A Suspended Pedestrian Feature Bridge in Turbine Hall A

One of the standout features of the redevelopment is the suspended pedestrian bridge in Turbine Hall A. Initially conceptualised by Buro Happold, we were tasked with delivering the detailed structural design, ensuring the bridge met the required safety and performance standards. This intricate bridge is not only a structural feat but also a striking architectural element, placed front and centre, that connects key areas of the development.

Boiler House, South Atrium Feature Stair

Working in close coordination with third parties, our goal was to deliver a structurally complex, but visually striking stair set. The architects vision was to provide two opposing stair sets, each with a horizontal kink, which are supported by an offset steel box section. The stair its self cantilevers from the offset spine, which delivers a bold, unique statement directly above the South Atrium to offices above. Our experienced design team employed extensive use of both linear and non-linear finite element analysis techniques, as well as industry leading footfall induced vibration analysis. This design process enabled our team to confidently deliver a design worthy of the facility in which it is installed, ensuring consistent predictable performance, without compromising the architectural vision.

Service Risers

While service risers may be considered less glamorous, they play a crucial role in supporting the backbone of hidden facilities which underpin the functional requirements of a complex facility such as Battersea. SG were responsible for structural design of various large service risers on site. These are essential components which house electrical and mechanical services throughout the building. These risers required detailed coordination with other building systems and architectural elements to ensure efficient integration.

Additional Works

In addition to the highlights noted above, Shepherd Gilmour performed over 50 additional structural design verifications of balustrades, barriers, and various building appendages. These elements, although seemingly minor, were crucial to the overall aesthetic and safety of the building and wider external development, ensuring that all architectural metalwork met the required structural performance criteria while maintaining design intent.

Collaboration & Coordination

Our work required close collaboration with multiple project stakeholders, including the concept design team at Buro Happold, installation teams, fabricators, and architects. This coordination was essential to achieving a fully integrated and holistic design. Regular design reviews, coordination meetings, and on-site inspections undertaken by the site-team allowed us to identify and resolve potential issues early, minimising disruptions during construction.

Challenges & Solutions

One of the key challenges in this project was maintaining the delicate balance between preserving the historical significance of the building while incorporating modern structural and safety standards. The suspended pedestrian bridge, in particular, required creative engineering to maintain both the architectural vision and the performance specifications set out during its concept design.

Additionally, the sheer complexity of the building’s architectural features demanded rigorous structural analysis and verification to ensure that all metalwork and glazing components were safe, functional, and visually coherent.

Shepherd Gilmour leveraged advanced structural modelling software to simulate performance under various conditions, providing confidence in the robustness of our designs. Crucially, additional verifications were undertaken by hand to validate the modelling results.

Project Outcome

The successful redevelopment of Battersea Power Station stands as a testament to the importance of collaboration, detailed planning, and expert engineering. Shepherd Gilmour is immensely proud to have been involved in this landmark project, contributing our structural expertise to the revitalisation of one of London’s most iconic landmarks. Our work not only helped preserve the building’s architectural integrity but also enhanced its functionality for modern use.

The completed project now serves as a bustling hub of residential, commercial, and retail activity, with our structural contributions playing a vital role in the building’s overall success.