After a world-class redevelopment, the historic Battersea Power Station has become a huge cultural and commercial center overlooking the Thames.
The area now boasts over a hundred shops and restaurants, a meticulously maintained riverfront, and creative spaces housed in the former power station.
We are on the outskirts of London, in the southern area of the south bank of the Thames.
The brick building of Battersea Power Station, with its colossal mass and white chimneys, stood there, practically abandoned since the 1980s.
All that remained was the memory of a coal-fired power station that once supplied much of London with electricity and, above all, the symbolic value of this structure.
As some may know and remember, the cover photograph of Pink Floyd's Animals album depicts the famous power station, with a giant pig floating among its chimneys, a clear reference to the song “Pigs on the Wing” that opens and closes the album.
This pig became one of Pink Floyd's symbols, becoming an icon repeatedly featured during live performances, even a constant at Roger Waters's latest concerts.
Now, the nearly 190,000 square meters of Battersea Power Station have been at the center of a vast redevelopment project estimated at around 9 billion pounds: one of the most expensive in London's history.
Work on this gigantic project began back in 2013 and, through seven phases of construction (each entrusted to different architectural firms), was completed this year.
The Battersea Power Station project entailed: approximately 4,000 new homes (including apartments, villas and penthouses), more than 250 shops, hotels, bars, restaurants, terraces,
parks, leisure facilities, offices and seven hectares of public space.
In short, a futuristic city within a city is being born.
Battersea Power Station will undoubtedly become a highly sought-after residential neighborhood among the national and international celebrities - just think that singer Sting was among the first ones to buy a home here - and Apple Computer new headquarters will be located here as well.
Furthermore, Battersea Power Station will be a zero-energy neighborhood, based on rigorous principles of environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
The energy strategy underlying the project radically reduces consumption and relies on the use of renewable sources.
The visual presence of the original chimney will not only signal the new area, but also London's commitment to innovation and sustainability while preserving its past.
Some sections of the paths along the Thames have also been redeveloped in recent years, especially in the areas of Battersea, Nine Elms and the city center.
The path is perfect for a scenic walk along the river or for a bike ride during the good season.

Another project in the making is The Camden Highline project which is currently under development, with an opening scheduled for 2027 or later.
The High Line will be a linear park inspired by the High Line park in New York City, built on a disused section of the elevated railway which ran through New York City from south to north along the Hudson River.
Authorities in the British capital have given the green light to the first of three sections to transform the disused railway line between Camden Town and King's Cross into a new public green area.
As was already the case in the Big Apple with the High Line, the London project envisions using a disused railway viaduct to give the city an elevated garden for all to share.
Something similar has been done in Paris as well and London will be next in following this ‘green’ trend of innovation.