Architectural studio Beoto Design completes an interior elevation of an apartment tucked within the reddy brick bounds of Battersea Power Station.
Slotting somewhere above the Brutalist-imbued shopping corridors and below the iconic chimney stacks of this southwest London landmark, the apartment is just one of a plethora of new flats designed as part of the Grade II Listed revival.
As a base build, the unit offered everything you’d expect from a luxury new build duplex – it was pretty minimalist, open plan and executed to a quality finish.
But where this particular development rises above the multitude of new build apartments sprouting up all over the city is in its historical context. Honouring the heritage of the decommissioned coal-fired power station, the blank canvas design dusts off and exposes the original brickwork of the building and makes a feature of the 21 feet of industrial steel-framed glazing that stretches across both levels of the plan.
Jake Warrington, founder of Beoto Design adds to the scene, “the unit is also fortunate enough to have some historical painted numbers high up on the brickwork. All of this contributes to the apartment’s individual sense of place within the building and wider Power Station masterplan, and makes it feel grounded and authentic in its context.”
For the client moving in however, well the space felt a little too raw, a little too impersonal.
Rather than stripping anything away from the base build to start from scratch, Beoto Design instead embarked on a conscious pursuit of elevating what was already there.
“The client and Beoto Design agreed and ensured that no existing features of the base-build should be removed and put into landfill – which is sadly far too common a practice when residential developments are fitted-out by their end users,” says Jake.
Using technology to their advantage, the team meticulously surveyed the apartment, creating a 3D model of the base build that allowed every design idea to be tried and tested digitally. Ultimately, this allowed Beoto Design to work to a high degree of accuracy, ensuring the perfect fit out of the existing space both physically and aesthetically. Naturally, this way of working eliminates the unsustainable need to return items or waste materials in the project.
Stretching over 108 sq. m, the apartment unfolds naturally. Progressing from the entrance, you move through the kitchen – the upgrades of which include a bespoke, generous island unit to help add structure to the spatial narrative – before finally arriving in the double-height living room.
Bathed in a celestial-esque glow that infiltrates through the staggering 21 feet of glass that closes the plan, this cosy nook looks up to the mezzanine level. Fenced off with a metal balustrade that mimics the lines of the steel-framed window it faces, this floor contains the master bedroom, walk-in wardrobes, a bathroom, as well as innovative alcoves for studying and storage.
Utilising Beoto’s trademark bespoke joinery, the open plan level functions as a singular piece of timber furniture.
“Bespoke furniture helps rationalise the space and ground it. The large volume at first seems
imposing, but the bespoke furniture and its careful placement within the space partly serves
to establish the human scale.”
Unpacking the apartment, we sit down with Jake Warrington to delve into the details of the design.
Looking at the base build, what did you want to change?
“The key challenges included resolving the stark acoustics and creating a sense of “cosiness”. The vast double height space is impressive, but since this links the two levels, it was imperative that noise was dampened throughout the different areas to minimise interference.”
“There were also several areas where MEP concealment strongly imposed itself on the space. And additional worktop space was required in the kitchen.”
Did the historical and cultural significance of Battersea Power Station inspire your
design in any way?
“This duplex celebrates the building’s rich history in synergy with a modern, dynamic and adaptable urban lifestyle. Although the interior design is not a traditional Art Deco replica, it does recognise aspects of the Power Station’s heritage. We took many visual cues from the context.”
“For example, the headboard takes inspiration from the scalloped chimneys, divided by four vertical brass trims. The existing balustrade on the upper level provides a datum that wraps around the
joinery, subtly tying the space together. The artwork and loose accessories all make a
contemporary reference to Art Deco geometry.”
How difficult was it to source curtains?!
“Very! Soft furnishings and the introduction of the enormous deep piled curtains to the full height of
the window were key to mitigating the acoustics. The curtain stack was carefully considered
to avoid hiding any of the existing listed façade steelwork or brickwork and appears subtle
despite its scale. Sourcing this extremely specific solution was quite a task.”
“Most curtain manufacturers have limitations due to the height and mechanism requirements. We worked closely with Lutron to find a unique solution that allows automated opening and closing of
both the blinds and curtains simultaneously via their app or a remote.”
How did you use bespoke joinery to your advantage in the design?
“Bespoke joinery is ideal when you have an existing volume and there are awkward or visually intrusive element. In this case it was the MEP concealment. For example, the kitchen area was originally dominated by a large fan coil unit on entry.”
“In response, additional kitchen joinery was installed, bookending the FCU, with a coffee bar to one side and a deep pantry the other, connected by shelving to house artwork and decoration. Rather than being an inconvenience, the FCU presented an opportunity to create new moments and functions within the space.”
Project details:
Location: Battersea Power Station, London
Project Size: 108 sq. m
Architect & Interior Designer: Beoto Design (see more of their work here)
Joinery: Prime Cut Joinery
Electronics: Lutron
Lighting: Normann Copenhagen
Kitchen: Kitchen Architecture
Notable Furniture : Carl Hansen & Søn; Muuto; Frato; Vitra
Photographer: Pierce Scourfield
Check out more from Beoto Design by heading to their website here.
To catch up with more case studies on enki, click here.
