Powerhouse - Chelsea Waterfront

A new living experience, created within the historic walls of one the capital’s last great industrial icons, tells a story 1OO years in the making. On the riverfront, in one of the most refined corners of London, a twin-turreted power station that once powered the Underground is re-energised and reimagined to offer a 21st century living experience like no other. A Chelsea original, located in an intimate enclave at the heart of London’s most distinguished and elegant Royal Borough, takes on a revolutionary new form, marking the biggest change for the borough in living memory. A story that began more than 100 years ago reaches its natural conclusion. Welcome to the Powerhouse, an exceptionally rare and special collection of 260 luxury apartments embraced by history and glittering with future potential. 

A triumph of engineering, built on a scale never before seen, Lots Road Power Station was a cathedral of the industrial age, distinguished by its muscle and imposing architectural form. 

One of the most historic and iconic London landmarks, and the last of the city’s three power stations to be redeveloped, Lots Road Power Station was born of a noble purpose to power the movement of a growing population. An extraordinary place, once alive with industry and buzzing with invention, now stirs back into life, realising its destiny as an even more extraordinary place to live – an exclusive residential address with a proud historic past. 

When completed in 1905, it was the largest ever built. 

Designed by American engineer James Russell Chapman, Lots Road Power Station was a 20th-century architectural star. Its two halls were clad in rich red brick and framed by four towering chimneys – the tallest in Europe when built, soaring 275 feet over the river Thames below. The building’s brick elevations were punctured by vast, elegant arched windows, allowing natural light to penetrate into the cavernous depths of the huge structure. A band of raised circles ran along the building, just under the roof line – a final architectural flourish, on what is now celebrated as a proto modernist masterpiece. Often described as the “design grandfather” of Battersea Power Station, Lots Road Power Station was one of the first steel frame buildings in the British Isles, wrought from nearly 6,000 tonnes of steel. The station consumed a staggering 700 tonnes of coal , ferried by river barges. 

For almost a century, Lots Road Power Station generated electricity to power London’s Underground network, keeping the capital moving even during the Blitz of the second world war. It provided the essential fuel for the city to grow into the thriving metropolis it is today, fanning new networks of connections between people and places. London Transport posters attest to the extraordinary role Lots Road Power Station has played in energising and uplifting the capital. One describes the station as “the moving spirit of London”, while another likens its formidable switchboard – which controlled 450,000 units of current each day – to “the modern Jupiter, hurling his lightning”. 

Chelsea’s riverfront can now be enjoyed for the first time in 1OO years. Powerhouse is part of Chelsea Waterfront, a well-established exclusive development featuring two glass residential towers of 37 and 25 storeys, and three riverside buildings arranged around beautiful landscaped gardens. The buildings are all connected by contemporary bridges that span the creek, bringing residents and visitors into the heart of the residences. Powerhouse is the latest addition to this world-class development with its extraordinary vista of the Thames. 

Designed by world-renowned landscape architects Randle Siddeley, the landscaped gardens match the horticultural prestige of the Chelsea Flower Show. Sheltered by beautiful trees and flowers, the gardens provide a perfect escape from city life. Secluded seating areas, overlooking soothing water features and vibrant blooms, make for an informal, relaxed setting and the paths that gently curve around the river are ideal for taking in the views. 

Powerhouse offers a range of amenities to complement the lifestyle of its residents. The 24-hour concierge ensures a lifestyle of ease from the moment you arrive, delivered with the utmost care and attention to detail. The solid granite desk is inspired by the coal that was once the building’s primary power generating source. 

Powerhouse’s impressive entrance opens onto the majestic, light-filled Atrium, designed by award-winning luxury interior architect, Fiona Barratt-Campbell. The beautiful and contrasting spaces of the Atrium and Concierge combine modern and natural elements with unique points of historical interest. Full-height, natural, evergreen trees have been purposefully placed where the building’s turbines used to stand. Flowing water troughs echo the creation of steam and two industrial chimneys (which you can walk into the base area to appreciate their full height) anchor either end of the space. And, overhead, a spectacular ‘electric current’ lighting installation represents the fundamental purpose of the building: the generation of power. 

Relax and unwind in an oasis of urban calm, designed to reinvigorate the body and mind. The luxuriously appointed wellness facilities at Chelsea Waterfront will set a new benchmark in relaxation and tranquillity. The 20-metre swimming pool is as peaceful and serene a destination as you can find. Columns of light reflect in the water, casting an ethereal glow around the monochrome loungers, jacuzzi and shimmering, geometric tiling. Floor-to ceiling windows reveal a panorama of nearby Battersea and St Mary’s Church, where the poet William Blake was married. The sauna and steam room provide a sanctuary for relaxation and total escapism. 

Chelsea is a place to enjoy the very best that London has to offer, in shopping, dining and culture. Around its meandering side streets and picturesque squares are a plethora of influential boutiques, luxury concept stores and pop-ups spotlighting up and-coming designers, highly rated by those in the know. Home to no fewer than seven Michelin-starred restaurants – including Gordon Ramsey’s eponymous flagship restaurant on Royal Hospital Road – Chelsea is a gastronomic hotspot that brings together everything from Parisian style bars and tucked-away terraces, to innovative Bahraini flavours and exhilarating Chinese food. 

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