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London Array Wind Farm, Substation Design, Building, Project, News, Image
London Array Wind Farm Substation Design
Architecture Development in London, England, UK
16 Mar 2009
RMJM gets go-ahead for London Array Wind
Farm Substation Design
UK-based international architectural practice RMJM has provided the
architectural concept design for a new onshore substation for London
Array, the largest consented offshore wind farm in Europe.

The London Array project, located between the Kent and Essex coasts,
will be a major generator of sustainable energy in the UK and responds
to the wider global agenda to reduce CO2 emissions. Ultimately it
will generate 1,000MW of electricity, serving the needs of 750,000
homes - equivalent to approximately a quarter of households in Greater
London or all of the homes in Kent and East Sussex.
Once completed, the wind farm's power will be fed to a substation
at Cleve Hill near Graveney, which will connect to the National Grid's
400kV transmission system to feed power into the UK's electricity
network. RMJM's design shields the transformers, electrical switchgear
and back-up electrical generators, offering protection to the equipment
as well as creating a sculptural focal point on the landscape. Visible
from the popular Saxon Shore Way footpath located a kilometre away
across agricultural land it is the intention that RMJM's design will
become an architectural landmark in the region.
The concept for the new substation took inspiration from a line of
beach hunts located immediately east of the site. RMJM's design features
a series of modular structures, creating a 160m long x 9m high rhythmic
line of solids and voids, screening the onshore components of the
wind farm. The design alternates between exposed aggregate concrete
panels that protect the transformers located behind them and anodised
aluminium screens that are positioned at different angles, creating
kinetic movement throughout the design. The structures are raised
on a 2.4m concrete plinth that acts as a flood alleviation barrier
and echoes the sea wall running alongside the Saxon Shore Way path.
RMJM Director, Matt Cartwright said, "We are delighted to be
working on such a progressive, sustainable project that is dedicated
to providing renewable energy to the UK, whilst respecting the local
landscape and creating an architectural focal point for the area.
Through close collaboration with London Array and the local planning
authority, we created a design that fuses art, architecture and engineering.
It was the modular nature of the beach huts and the unique environment
that first inspired us when designing the sculptural wall."
Planning permission for the substation was granted in August 2007
and was subject to a number of planning conditions which included
the submission of further detail on the substations design. Following
local consultation the relevant information was submitted and the
planning condition recently discharged. Work on the substation is
intended to start later this year.
London Array Wind Farm Substation Design images / information received
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The Shard
Renzo Piano Building Workshop

image : Hays Davidson / John Mclean
Somerset House
William Chambers, Architect

photo © Nick Weall
London
Architect
London Buildings

World Architecture : e-architect
- key buildings across the globe
Buildings / photos
for the London Array Wind Farm Substation Design Architecture page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk
London Array Wind Farm Substation Design :
page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
Website : www.londonarray.com |
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