The UK government’s announcement in January, to give the go ahead for a series of new build nuclear power plants, is set to provide the industry with one of the most challenging design projects of the decade. Martin Pease reports.

Our existing nuclear power stations are utilitarian in design at best. What the design industry has now been given is a chance to change perceptions and create power stations that the nation can be proud of; that will enhance rather than spoil the landscape.

While this will be no mean feat; designs of water treatment works and plants show us that industrial, functional buildings can still be built with an emphasis on design.

With the building of nuclear power stations, there will of course be severe challenges to the industry including technological restrictions, political sensitivities and a huge historical reputational issue to deal with. Another important debate and challenge to designers is how we fit the new power stations into the natural habitat to enhance rather than harm the existing landscape. However, what ambitious and motivated designer does not seek this type of challenge?

How capable are we of providing a design solution to this controversial debate that will match government expectation and succeed under the watchful and critical eyes of a sceptical public? There are some lessons to be learnt from past experience.

A history of design

Back in the 1950s, design was at the bottom of the agenda when it came to nuclear power stations. As a new technology that had never been experimented with before, design did not even figure as part of the brief. The project to build the stations was so experimental and cutting edge that the brief had to focus purely on engineering and required very little architectural input.

This of course led to the development of the functional and utilitarian buildings that litter the landscape today. Perhaps those forbidding, almost ominous designs contributed to the nuclear industry falling into public disfavour and going into steep decline from the 1970s onwards.

The announcement of new build a few weeks ago generated a vast amount of media coverage and public opinion split between those cautiously in favour and the significant minority which are formally opposed. There will be fierce opposition from some quarters when the new power stations finally reach planning stage.

When the first nuclear power stations were built in the UK there was a degree of ignorance about nuclear as a source of energy. In today’s society it is undoubtedly at the forefront of people’s minds and both heightened awareness and education of all stakeholders has created a new climate, which the design industry needs to be very aware of.

I believe this represents a huge opportunity for designers and architects; an opportunity for design to enhance and help change perceptions of nuclear power plants. This time round, designers will be sure to take an important role in how nuclear is perceived in the future.

However, before the industry can fully focus on the design of new build plants, there is the large issue of decommissioning the old plants. Given that all but one of our existing plants will be decommissioned over the next 20 years, from a design perspective this will impact greatly on what we do with the new build. Just because the plants will become obsolete there is no reason we cannot use the space to its best advantage. It is unclear at the moment how this will be done, yet whatever is decided will surely impact the design of the new stations.

Getting the job done

An exciting time lies ahead for designers and architects. The new power stations will be of a gigantic scale and will have a huge impact on the skyline and landscape across the UK. In terms of getting the job done, the first question that springs to mind is do we have the right resources available?

Whilst it has been well documented that we face a severe skills crisis when it comes to the recruitment of nuclear engineers, we are fortunate enough not to be in the same position when it comes to designers and architects. With a project of such high technical specifications it will be imperative that engineers and designers work very closely together. At Atkins, we have a strong mix of both design and engineering skills and the blend of these two skill sets will be imperative in making the project work effectively from end to end.

In terms of resourcing the materials that will be needed for the project, the industry should really look at this as a standard construction process. In any design project we are used to providing an intense and exacting solution and this should be no different – a building shell is merely a container to contain space, in which one may do as they please.

A sustainable future

The heart of any debate regarding design in the future, is sustainability and this is even more applicable when it comes to nuclear power stations. As the new stations were agreed to be a measure of protection against climate change, it is imperative that this aim/objective resonates throughout the design process too.

Sustainability is really the area in which I feel that as designers, we can prove our worth. Until we know more about the location it is hard to be precise in terms of what can be done. However, as many of the sites proposed are remote and isolated there will be a host of opportunities available – it could even be that wind farms form part of the answer.

Sustainability should be a given in both engineering and architecture – encompassed in the design of a building from the outset. It essentially evolves around ensuring that buildings last as long as possible and with nuclear power stations, that there is plenty of scope for growth and development.

In an industry which is under constant pressure to control and reduce costs, it is important that sustainability is not perceived as a bolt-on activity, otherwise it risks becoming a cost issue. This is imperative as every aspect of the new power stations will be under intense scrutiny from the government, public and lobbyists

To conclude, I feel that it is an architect’s responsibility to help deliver on this critical part of the energy mix. Although the stations cannot be built and fully functional tomorrow, we should not be blinded to their potential as a long term and sustainable source of energy. The design of the new power plants will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting projects that many architects and designers will ever have the opportunity to work on.

Martin Pease is magaging director of Atkins Design, Bristol, UK. <a href="http://www.atkinsdesign.com"target=_blank>Atkins Design</a>