Blackburn Meadows
Blackburn Meadows is a landmark biomass power plant located on the site of the former Tinsley cooling towers.
The Brief
Blackburn Meadows is a landmark biomass power plant located on the site of the former Tinsley cooling towers. The design responds to the industrial heritage of the Lower Don Valley, drawing inspiration from the large, black-clad steel mills characteristic of the area. The central feature is the boiler house, clad in translucent orange panels and illuminated from within; at night, the internal structure reveals silhouettes of silos and process elements, establishing the building as a prominent landmark within the wider industrial landscape.
The Challenge
Create a striking nocturnal landmark with minimal energy consumption, and carefully calibrate the backlighting effect on the boiler-house cladding.
What we delivered
Extensive landscaping including a water meadow on vacant land to the south, promoting ecological biodiversity and flood-water attenuation, plus a visitors' centre offering an educational resource for school parties and other groups.
Feature backlighting to the boiler-house cladding achieved through detailed calculations and a number of night-time site mock-ups, a striking night-time 'lantern' with a minimal energy consumption of around 1500W.
Giorgos was involved in the development and presentation of the lighting concept, preparing visual and technical material to support client engagement and communicate the design intent. This was followed by a series of on-site mock-ups, which were critical in testing and refining the lighting approach, ensuring the desired visual effect was achieved while minimising light spill beyond the structures in line with environmental and contextual considerations. Giorgos subsequently progressed the scheme into technical design, producing detailed documentation to inform the tender process and support contractor delivery. His work ensured that the final installation accurately realised the concept, balancing architectural expression, operational requirements, and energy efficiency.
Project images
Photos by Nick Caville. Photos and graphics by BDP.
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