Nine Elms

Nine Elms station only opened in 2021 as part of the Northern line extension to Battersea.

The underground station is close to the site of the former Nine Elms Railway station which opened in May 1838 as the London terminus of the London and Southampton Railway. It didn't last long as it wasn't convenient for travel to central London as you had to complete the journey by road or steam boat. The station closed in July 1848. The track was still used though for goods traffic until 1968.

Being new, it has a large concourse which makes a difference from the previous stations.

There is a Mark Wallinger labyrinth which was installed at the station in Oct 2023 to mark the 160th anniversary of the Underground and the 10 year anniversary of the labyrinth artworks. 

The large windows allow lots of natural light into the ticket hall.

I left the station and made my way towards the signposted pedestrian route to the US Embassy and gardens. The walkway leads you to an archway named Arch 42.

From the pedestrian walkway I could see the New Covent Garden market. This is the fruit and vegetable market mainly for wholesalers but it is open to the public. However, it is open from 4am to 9am so it is unlikely I will be paying a visit.

In Sept 2021 Arch 42 was opened to create a new pedestrian route linking the new underground station with the US Embassy and the river. Arch 42 is one of hundreds of Victorian arches sitting underneath the mainline railway between London Waterloo and Clapham junction. This railway viaduct was constructed in the mid 1800s. As a result of the railway opening here in 1833 the area changed from farming and market gardens to distribution and heavy industry. The area north of Arch 42 was once the home of Nine Elms goods yard and to the south of the arch was a locomotive works.

I walked on round to the American Embassy which moved here from Grosvenor Square in 2017.

The Embassy is surrounded by water. The pond, as it is referred to, is a vital component to the embassy's water system, which aims to retain all the rainwater that falls on the site. This rainwater is either absorbed by the earth or filtered through drainage bioswales and planting trays before being stored in the pond. By using natural storm water management methods, the embassy's water system simultaneously enhances the landscape, prevents pollution from flowing to local waterways and provides irrigation to the meadow and other embassy plantings.

A local information board tells the reader that the planting of tall grasses and wildflowers is reminiscent of both the expansive, rolling American prairies and the site's early history as a River Thames wetland. These plants not only create a diverse, colourful meadow, but also enrich the soil and require little maintenance as they regenerate each spring. The tall grasses and wildflowers additionally provide a year round habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

This whole area, known as the Embassy Gardens, is  a new development with bars, cafes and apartment blocks. One section is a world first with its suspended swimming pool between two blocks.

The Sky pool, which opened in 2021 is suspended 35m above the ground and forms a bridge between the two apartment buildings. It is the world's first floating pool. The roof area was not large enough to accommodate a swimming pool so the architects came up with the idea of this floating 25m pool. It is only available for the residents and guests although I understand you can hire it for a private event. It attracted a fair amount of criticism for being an emblem of the inequalities of economic existence in London.

At ground level, Embassy Gardens has an attractive small green area with lily pad filled ponds in front of restaurants and bars.

As with many new developments there is often new artwork on display. This sculpture of a foot by Simon Fujiwara is titled Modern Marriage. I should have looked at the other side of the sculpture which has a ring embedded in the sole of the foot. Fujiwara's work is often autobiographical so I wonder what relevance this has in his life. The work was not greeted with open arms and was shortlisted for the Spectator's Worst Public Art awards.

This mural by Laura Goossens is called Peace on Paper. The collage design is hand cut from recycled old papers based on seasons and landscapes and shaped with a variety of colours and textures. Work by residents is also featured on the design.

Across the road from the Embassy is the River Thames. Alongside the river is this art installation. It  is called the Nine Elms Pavilion by Linda Florence and Studio Weave. It was designed to be a celebration of the reopening of the riverside path. The steel structure is covered in colourful patterns. These are a reference to bridges built during the industrial revolution which were often painted in vibrant colours. The area has lost most of its industrial heritage and quay structures from this part of the Thames.

Looking upstream from Nine Elms you can see the iconic Battersea Power station, a huge reminder of our industrial heritage. 

Looking in the other direction all you can see are skyscrapers.

Not all the buildings in Nine Elms are new. I walked back to the station via a different route and found a few interesting buildings.

 

This art deco building was once the Granada cinema. It was built in 1936 on the site of a smaller cinema. It's had a mixed history having to close during the war due to the bombing. when it reopened in 1949 it lasted until 1965 when Bingo took the place of films. Then in 1977 it became a skateboard centre for a while and finally in 1986 it became a fitness centre.

This row of shops is the closest to the tube station. 

The mural which was across the road shows you what is on offer locally.

But this traditional craft centre looked the most interesting.

This was the view as I turned to cross the road to the station on the other side.