Bankside Power Station

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The Bankside Power Station was an oil fired power plant in London, from 1952 to 1981 was in operation. She is one of the largest brick buildings in England and is situated on the south bank of the Thames near Southwark Bridge.

History

The power plant was given after a power failure in 1947 in order. The building was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the designer of Liverpool Cathedral, Battersea Power Station and the red telephone box. The building is 200 meters long, constructed of a steel frame and covered with bricks. The central chimney is 99 meters high. The height of the chimney has been limited in deference to the spire of the nearby St Paul's Cathedral. Despite initial resistance, the design of Scott was accepted.

The construction work was carried out in two phases and completed in 1963. The western part of the building was first completed and went into operation in 1952. Rising oil prices made by the time the operation of the station uneconomical, which led to the closure in 1981. The building was broke and was eventually converted into a museum. The architects Herzog & de Meuron won the tender in 1995 and since 2000, the Tate Gallery of Modern Art is located there.