Keiichi Tahara lights up Battersea Power Station

Japanese designer Keiichi Tahara has been commissioned by Parkview International to develop the lighting masterplan for Battersea Power Station and its surrounding 15ha site.

The Tokyo- and Paris-based designer, who specialises in light installations and photography, will draw up the scheme for the exterior lighting design and oversee its development. As the work progresses, additional lighting designers will be commissioned to work on separate projects.

Tahara’s team has spent the past month researching the Battersea site in order to develop a ‘lightscape’ concept that will complement the vast area, according to a spokeswoman for Tahara’s company. This scheme is being divided into three areas/ artistic lighting, landscape and building lighting and functional lighting. Initial design concepts will be presented to Parkview by Tahara next month.

‘There are different layers and hierarchies to the scheme. This is a very new approach and vision because we are talking about lighting itself as a project. We will not be the single source of lighting, but will give guidelines and be more of a controlling force,’ explains the spokeswoman.

The Battersea Power Station masterplan will convert the site into a major retail and leisure destination, with a conference centre, cinema, restaurants, hotels and bars. Plans include Upperworld, a futuristic hotel conceived by Ron Arad Associates (DW 2 Sept 2004) and proposals for a Japanese dining and entertainment venue designed by Future Systems for restaurateur Alan Yau (DW 23 June).

Battersea Power Station

• Listed main building restored

• Glass Upperworld Hotel in the roof by Ron Arad Associates

• Alan Yau’s Future Systems-designed restaurant and entertainment venue proposed

• 750 apartments

• Retail, office and leisure space

• 2000-5000 seat theatre ‘in the round’