Low Carbon Energy Centre, London
In March 2017, C.F. Møller Architects, artist Conrad Shawcross and developer Knight Dragon completed a major new art and architecture collaboration for London’s Greenwich Peninsula.
Measuring 3,000 sq. m, the Greenwich Peninsula Low Carbon Energy Centre is situated in a prominent location at the peninsula entrance, adjacent to the Blackwall Tunnel Approach, as a visible landmark for the area.
The Energy Centre houses advanced boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) that provides heat to the businesses and homes due to be built on the Peninsula in the coming years. The development was conceived in response to the political drive to increase the use of CHP and formed part of the Peninsula’s Sustainability Strategy.
The Energy Centre is the largest new build residential heat network in Europe, saving over 20,000 tonnes of carbon a year. Heat energy will be distributed via a District Heating Network (DHN) from the Energy Centre to each plot across the development.
Designed by British artist Conrad Shawcross, the cladding of the 49 m-high stack tower unites sophisticated engineering and complex optic research to create an impressive sculptural concept on a huge scale.
The structure’s cladding is formed from hundreds of triangular panels that fold and flow across the surface of the tower forming complex geometric patterns that visually break up the flat planes to create an uneven, sculpted surface that plays with the vanishing points and perspective.
The panels are perforated so as to exploit the phenomena of the Moiré Effect, and at night an integrated lighting design produces a shifting series of ‘compositions‘ lit from within the structure.
The work of art by Conrad Shawcross is named ‘The Optic Cloak*
The Energy Centre’s machine room and flexible ancillary office accommodation is supplemented with a Visitor Centre offering an interactive educational experience for prearranged groups.
Content and images courtesy of C.F. Møller Architects.
Photography © Mark Hadden.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Not buildings. Happy holiday from DB.
Future Homes Standard: Industry calls for more ambition
As the Government FHS consultation finally closes.
Improving government projects with data and AI
Enabling better outcomes, efficient modern delivery and influential leadership on government projects.
BSRIA Living Laboratory Innovation Challenge
Final days for submission, closing March 29.
Windows, their frames, forms, factors and functions.
The hidden subtleties of U-Value calculations
Different contexts and what to include as variables.
A brief run down with related articles.
Electrical sector calls for safer public EV charge points
Serious concerns about electrical safety in the public domain.
Building Blocks manifesto presented to parliament
Architects Declare call in for support of five critical policies.
The four elements of project management with APM
Analysis, expectations, collaborative communication and partnerships.
City of London launches Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit
Empowering owners to initiate necessary adaptations.
Guidance on RAAC in listed buildings
Published by Purcell, endorsed by IHBC, SPAB and C20.
Learning from the past.
Reluctance to hire people with criminal convictions revealed
Employing People with Criminal Convictions Report.
Tackling unconscious bias; Women's History Month
Personal reflections, as the last week of March approaches.