Latest
issue
Uniting the world of spa & wellness
Get Spa Business and Spa Business insider digital magazines FREE
Sign up here ▸
News   Features   Products   Company profilesProfiles   Press releasesProfiles   Magazine   Handbook   Advertise    Subscribe  
NEWS
Battersea Power Station reopens as leisure district following £9bn redevelopment
POSTED 15 Oct 2022 . BY Tom Walker
The former coal-fired power station has been transformed into an entirely new district Credit: WilkinsonEyre
The iconic Battersea Power Station has opened on the south bank of the River Thames, London, UK
Dating to the 1930s, the historic site has undergone a £9bn redevelopment project
Designs for the restoration and repurposing were led by architects studio WilkinsonEyre
A glass elevator transports visitors 109m up inside one of the Power Station’s iconic chimneys
The iconic Battersea Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames, London, UK, has finally reopened, following a £9bn redevelopment project.

The Grade II* listed former coal-fired power station has been transformed into an entirely new district featuring a blend of residential and leisure, with health clubs, a visitor attraction, spa and wellness offerings, retail, bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks and historic spaces.

Developments within the 42-acre site include a cinema, a theatre and London's first art'otel, designed by Spanish artist and interior designer, Jaime Hayon.

Designs for the restoration and repurposing were led by architects studio WilkinsonEyre.

Among the site's visitor attractions is the Chimney Lift Experience, a glass elevator that will transport visitors 109m up inside one of the Power Station’s iconic chimneys before they emerge at the top to enjoy 360-degree views of the capital’s skyline.

The chimneys were rebuilt as part of the restoration work.

There is also a wide range of green and open public spaces, including the six-acre Power Station Park, which sits directly in front of the building on the banks of the river.

Sebastien Ricard, director at WilkinsonEyre, said: "It has been a privilege to restore and transform this iconic building, not only saving and celebrating the original features but creating interventions which bring the structure alive again.

"Retaining the Power Station’s sense of scale and visual drama is key to the project and is achieved through features such as full-height voids behind the southern and northern entrances, a vast central atrium and the unobstructed turbine halls which have become retail gallerias.

"The architectural interventions respect the integrity of the historic landmark while creating new events spaces, shops, restaurants and cafés, large open-plan office spaces, and a series of Sky Villas positioned around rooftop garden squares above the Boiler House and Turbine Halls.

"I’m excited that these incredible volumes – the Turbine Halls and Boiler House – will, for the first time, be open to all.

"We’ve taken great inspiration from Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in everything from the drama and scale right through to individual material choices and I hope this is reflected in the experience of residents and visitors.”

Among the major corporate tenants is US tech giant Apple, which has taken 500,000sq ft of office space to create a UK campus.

A number of health and fitness operators have secured spaces at Battersea, including boutique chains Be Military Fit with Bear Grylls, Boom Cycle and BXR.

Built in the 1930s and first opened in 1941, the Battersea Power Station is now owned by a consortium of Malaysian investors and developers.

The original power station was designed by architect Giles Gilbert Scott and is one of the world's largest brick buildings.

The building has had a rollercoaster ride since being decommissioned in 1983, changing hands many times and being the subject of a plethora of abandoned plans, including one by Sir John Hall, founder of Alton Towers, to turn it into a theme park.

Other previous, failed plans, have included an urban park, biomass power station a mixed-use and housing development, an eco dome and even a football stadium.

Following countless false starts, the historic building has now finally been brought back to use for the first time since the power was cut off.
Credit: WilkinsonEyre
Credit: WilkinsonEyre
Credit: Battersea Power Station
RELATED STORIES
  REVEALED: IMG to operate 'glass elevator' chimney lift experience at Battersea in 2022


Global entertainments and events firm IMG has signed a contract to operate the Chimney Lift Experience at the Battersea Power Station.
  Government holds up Battersea plans


A last-minute intervention by the Government Office for London has blocked Wandsworth Borough Council from approving final design changes to the £1.1bn Battersea Power Station development.
  Power Station redevelopment makes progress


Detailed design and commercial planning will now start on Battersea Power Station, after planning consent was secured for all the outstanding aspects.
MORE NEWS
Swissline opens renovated urban wellness destination Labo Spa in Zurich
Swissline has opened a flagship day spa in Zurich, Switzerland, called Labo Spa.
Gran Hotel Taoro opens Sandára Wellness Centre
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Franchise expert Carrie Walsh joins Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa as CEO
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans to expand.
HCM Invest opens applications for pitching slots
The inaugural HCM Invest event has opened applications for pitching slots ahead of its launch in London on 21 October 2026.
+ More news   

FEATURED SUPPLIERS

MSpa Oslo series: a timeless bestseller
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]

Embrace the chill: TechnoAlpin's Snowsky revolutionises post-fitness recovery with falling snow
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
Yon-Ka

Founded in 1954, the Yon-Ka Paris combines nature, science, and sensoriality to create results-dr [more...]
Elemis

Since 1989, Elemis has been delivering hands-on spa treatments and award-winning skincare to partn [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
 

+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
31 Aug - 02 Sep 2026

SpaTec North America

Pier Sixty Six, Fort Lauderdale, United States
+ More diary  
 
ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
 
SPA BUSINESS
SPA OPPORTUNITIES
SPA BUSINESS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026
Uniting the world of spa & wellness
Get Spa Business and Spa Business insider digital magazines FREE
Sign up here ▸
News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
Battersea Power Station reopens as leisure district following £9bn redevelopment
POSTED 15 Oct 2022 . BY Tom Walker
The former coal-fired power station has been transformed into an entirely new district Credit: WilkinsonEyre
The iconic Battersea Power Station has opened on the south bank of the River Thames, London, UK
Dating to the 1930s, the historic site has undergone a £9bn redevelopment project
Designs for the restoration and repurposing were led by architects studio WilkinsonEyre
A glass elevator transports visitors 109m up inside one of the Power Station’s iconic chimneys
The iconic Battersea Power Station on the south bank of the River Thames, London, UK, has finally reopened, following a £9bn redevelopment project.

The Grade II* listed former coal-fired power station has been transformed into an entirely new district featuring a blend of residential and leisure, with health clubs, a visitor attraction, spa and wellness offerings, retail, bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks and historic spaces.

Developments within the 42-acre site include a cinema, a theatre and London's first art'otel, designed by Spanish artist and interior designer, Jaime Hayon.

Designs for the restoration and repurposing were led by architects studio WilkinsonEyre.

Among the site's visitor attractions is the Chimney Lift Experience, a glass elevator that will transport visitors 109m up inside one of the Power Station’s iconic chimneys before they emerge at the top to enjoy 360-degree views of the capital’s skyline.

The chimneys were rebuilt as part of the restoration work.

There is also a wide range of green and open public spaces, including the six-acre Power Station Park, which sits directly in front of the building on the banks of the river.

Sebastien Ricard, director at WilkinsonEyre, said: "It has been a privilege to restore and transform this iconic building, not only saving and celebrating the original features but creating interventions which bring the structure alive again.

"Retaining the Power Station’s sense of scale and visual drama is key to the project and is achieved through features such as full-height voids behind the southern and northern entrances, a vast central atrium and the unobstructed turbine halls which have become retail gallerias.

"The architectural interventions respect the integrity of the historic landmark while creating new events spaces, shops, restaurants and cafés, large open-plan office spaces, and a series of Sky Villas positioned around rooftop garden squares above the Boiler House and Turbine Halls.

"I’m excited that these incredible volumes – the Turbine Halls and Boiler House – will, for the first time, be open to all.

"We’ve taken great inspiration from Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in everything from the drama and scale right through to individual material choices and I hope this is reflected in the experience of residents and visitors.”

Among the major corporate tenants is US tech giant Apple, which has taken 500,000sq ft of office space to create a UK campus.

A number of health and fitness operators have secured spaces at Battersea, including boutique chains Be Military Fit with Bear Grylls, Boom Cycle and BXR.

Built in the 1930s and first opened in 1941, the Battersea Power Station is now owned by a consortium of Malaysian investors and developers.

The original power station was designed by architect Giles Gilbert Scott and is one of the world's largest brick buildings.

The building has had a rollercoaster ride since being decommissioned in 1983, changing hands many times and being the subject of a plethora of abandoned plans, including one by Sir John Hall, founder of Alton Towers, to turn it into a theme park.

Other previous, failed plans, have included an urban park, biomass power station a mixed-use and housing development, an eco dome and even a football stadium.

Following countless false starts, the historic building has now finally been brought back to use for the first time since the power was cut off.
Credit: WilkinsonEyre
Credit: WilkinsonEyre
Credit: Battersea Power Station
RELATED STORIES
REVEALED: IMG to operate 'glass elevator' chimney lift experience at Battersea in 2022


Global entertainments and events firm IMG has signed a contract to operate the Chimney Lift Experience at the Battersea Power Station.
Government holds up Battersea plans


A last-minute intervention by the Government Office for London has blocked Wandsworth Borough Council from approving final design changes to the £1.1bn Battersea Power Station development.
Power Station redevelopment makes progress


Detailed design and commercial planning will now start on Battersea Power Station, after planning consent was secured for all the outstanding aspects.
MORE NEWS
Swissline opens renovated urban wellness destination Labo Spa in Zurich
Swissline has opened a flagship day spa in Zurich, Switzerland, called Labo Spa.
Gran Hotel Taoro opens Sandára Wellness Centre
Gran Hotel Taoro in northern Tenerife, Spain, has completed the final phase of its three-year renovation with the debut of its Sandára Wellness Centre.
Franchise expert Carrie Walsh joins Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa as CEO
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans to expand.
HCM Invest opens applications for pitching slots
The inaugural HCM Invest event has opened applications for pitching slots ahead of its launch in London on 21 October 2026.
Synergy – The Retreat Show invites consumer and industry perspectives on retreats for research
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry perspectives.
Turkey is crowned the best massage nation at world championship
Turkey came first at this year’s World Championship in Massage between 3-5 July in Copenhagen, Denmark.
+ More news   
 
FEATURED SUPPLIERS

MSpa Oslo series: a timeless bestseller
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]

Embrace the chill: TechnoAlpin's Snowsky revolutionises post-fitness recovery with falling snow
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
Yon-Ka

Founded in 1954, the Yon-Ka Paris combines nature, science, and sensoriality to create results-dr [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
31 Aug - 02 Sep 2026

SpaTec North America

Pier Sixty Six, Fort Lauderdale, United States
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS