London eye architect unveils £11 billion tidal power station to fuel uk’s ai energy demands

Julia Barfield, the visionary architect behind London’s iconic Eye and Brighton’s i360 tower, has proposed an ambitious £11 billion tidal energy project that could transform Britain’s renewable energy landscape. The West Somerset Lagoon would stretch 14 miles in a dramatic arc from Minehead to Watchet, creating what designers call an “iconic” curve around the Bristol Channel while generating clean electricity for the nation’s growing artificial intelligence sector.

The massive undertaking would deploy 125 underwater turbines to capture energy from the Bristol Channel’s extraordinary tidal forces—the second-highest tidal range anywhere on Earth. This natural advantage could position the UK as a leader in tidal energy technology while helping meet the surging electricity demands driven by AI data centers and computing facilities that require constant, reliable power.

Beyond its environmental benefits, the project includes an unexpected feature that showcases Barfield’s architectural flair: a cycling track built atop the tidal barrier. This addition would allow cyclists to literally ride above the Bristol Channel, combining renewable energy infrastructure with recreational innovation. The proposal represents a bold fusion of environmental necessity and creative design, addressing both Britain’s climate commitments and its need for energy security.

While the project faces the typical challenges of large-scale marine renewable energy—including environmental assessments, funding arrangements, and regulatory approval—it demonstrates how architects and engineers are thinking creatively about infrastructure that serves multiple purposes while combating climate change.