Planning submitted: a unique project to transform Wapping Hydraulic Pumping Station into an immersive art experience. The Grade II* building has been predominantly empty since 2013. Our plans to repurpose the industrial building will provide an exciting arts venue that aims to be a catalyst for community activity.
Wapping Hydraulic Pumping Station sits in a prominent position on the Shadwell Basin and in the Wapping Wall conservation area, adjacent to the Thames. The area includes one of London’s finest stretches of 19th century wharf and warehouse architecture.
When complete, the pumping station will become a permanent exhibition space dedicated to fostering new talent in immersive art forms. The project is being led by Inkubate, a team of artists, creatives and friends.
Our proposal is to open up and reinvent forgotten spaces. This includes adding a large new glazed extension to the distinctive high-level water tanks and chimney. We also propose opening up the expansive underground historic vaulted reservoirs for the first time.
By creating greater accessibility, we can connect the site to the Wapping Basin and generate a greater sense of public realm. The site could include a reinvented cafe in the turbine hall and a relandscaped forecourt area with a focus on community engagement.
The visitor experience will take people on a tour of the unique building, celebrating its historic use. More than 30 separate industrial and subterranean spaces will display artificial intelligence, immersive experiences, gamification and dazzling displays of light, colour, sound and natural elements.
The galleries are designed to stimulate visitors’ imagination while celebrating the historic fabric of the pumping station. This is a unique opportunity to repurpose the industrial building and provide a new facility in Wapping for the community to unite and support the arts, while providing up to 60 new jobs.
Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about our plans for Wapping Hydraulic Pumping Station.
In collaboration with:
Inkubate – Client; CMA Planning – Town Planning consultant; Scotch Partners – Building Services engineer; KMHeritage – Heritage consultant; TTP Consulting – Transport consultant; Eight Versa – Environmental consultant; ACD Environmental – Ecology assessment; Ruskins Tree Consultancy – Arboricultural; eb7 – Daylight & Sunlight report; Elliott Wood – Structural engineer
