NORTHERN LINE EXTENSION UPDATE
Studiodare have been involved in the Nine Elms area since 2008. At 195 hectares, the Nine Elms corridor on the south bank of the River Thames is the largest under-developed site in Central London. The area, which is approximately 1 km from both Chelsea and the Houses of Parliament, is an ‘industrial’ hinterland. Although bisected by railways from Waterloo and Victoria the area is poorly served by public transport systems and remains significantly undeveloped.
Plans for the transformation of the Nine Elms area are well advanced with the proposed redevelopment of the 38 acre Battersea Power Station site.
An outline planning application for the Power Station site was submitted by Treasury Holdings (THL) in 2009. At approximately 8.3 million sq ft this is, according to LB Wandsworth, the largest single planning application ever submitted in Central London.
The scheme, which will see the iconic Battersea Station brought back to life, is a mixed use development for 3,700 homes with offices, shops, restaurants, leisure facilities, new public spaces and a riverside park. As part of the redevelopment THL have instructed a design team to prepare proposals for an extension of the Northern Line to connect the Power Station site, and the wider Nine Elms area, with the London Underground network.
Studiodare’s involvement with the Northern Line Extension began in July 2008 when, as part of a Parsons Brinckerhoff led design team, they completed a comprehensive feasibility study, which included design options for stations and head-houses on the four route options of the 3km extension.
Having identified a preferred route option Studiodare produced outline designs for three head-houses and two new underground stations; one at Battersea to serve the master plan for the proposed Battersea Power Station development, the other on the Sainsbury’s site at Nine Elms.
In November 2009 Studiodare were again appointed to work on the Northern Line Extension, this time as part of a Halcrow led design team, which included Buro Happold. Working with a demanding and committed client (THL), a challenging brief and a fully engaged and supportive operator (LUL), the design team produced a Stage D design which can now be progressed to a Transport and Works Act Application. Once again Studiodare delivered a comprehensive set of coordinated designs for two new stations, three new head-house buildings and the adjacent urban realm.
The Underground station at Battersea is designed to integrate with the proposed master plan for the Power Station site. A single entrance at street level, with excellent visibility along Battersea Park Road, is positioned to facilitate both way-finding and to maximise ease of interchange with other modes of transport.
A sky light in the lower level retail area of the master plan introduces daylight to the basement ticket hall. From the ticket hall an optional second entrance provides access between the retail element and the station.
Although not yet confirmed, proposals for Nine Elms include a new station located on the edge of Sainsbury’s supermarket car park. The station is a cut and cover box with two entrances. The main east entrance provides transport interchange onto the Wandsworth Road. A second entrance to the west is positioned to serve both the proposed New Covent Garden redevelopment and the new US Embassy to the north of the viaduct.
The design maximises the use of natural light, with glazed roofs to the ticket halls and a light-well which introduces day light directly to platform level.
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