London’s a work in progress—always changing, always growing. Since the Middle Ages, its kings, queens, armies, and navies have played a leading role in the story of Europe. In the 19th century, it was shaped by the Industrial Age. And today, London has become a leader in regeneration—incorporating its rich and rusty industrial heritage as it builds for the future.

Katie: So this is the Docklands. And it is a great example of regeneration. But at one point, this was the busiest port in the world until the advent of container shipping when the port moved out and this became an industrial wasteland. But just look at it today. It’s a landscape of skyscrapers. In fact, when constructed, it had the tallest skyscraper in Britain. And today, it’s a place where workers have fantastic infrastructure. There are beautiful, green, open spaces. It’s a wonderful place to live and work.

Just up the River Thames, the Battersea Power Station is another great example of regeneration with its four iconic stacks no longer billowing smoke but still standing tall.

Rick: It must have been a big deal in its day.

Katie: I mean, it produced a fifth of the city’s energy, so it was pretty vast, and it was burning coal. So, of course, the problem with that is that it’s filling up everybody’s lungs with soot and smoke, and the city in those days was not a pleasant place to be. In 1983, they shut it down, and it was derelict for decades.

Rick: It’s not derelict now.

Katie: No. It certainly isn’t. Rather than a sort of urban blight, it’s surrounded by modern condos, really expensive and well-designed for good living.

Rick: And they sure take advantage of this riverside setting.

Katie: Right. I mean, this park-like landscaping stretches right to the river. It’s only June—and this kind of heat is becoming the new norm. And those piers that once received coal now receive tourists.

Today, what was a powerplant is now an upscale mall with over a hundred shops and eateries. Upstairs a small exhibit celebrates its gritty past. And visitors can ride a glass pod up the inside of a chimney. It goes up, up, and up until it pops into the sunlight. The reward? A commanding 360-degree view of London.

Over the river, Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square is yet another impressive regeneration project. Here, in the 19th century, this canal connected London with England’s industrial heartland in the north. Today the canal, with its barges and towpaths, is used not for hauling coal or grain…but for recreation.

Rick: I can feel the industrial foundation, and at the same time, it’s so livable.

Katie: Right, yeah. I mean, this is where barge loads of coal were loaded and unloaded to power the Industrial Revolution.

Rick: I remember when I came here as a kid, broken glass…

Katie: Oh, yeah.

Rick:—drug addicts, prostitutes, everywhere.

Katie: Yeah. And it’s been the subject of an incredible rejuvenation. Smart policies, bold investments, it’s really transformed the area.

Rick: Condos…beautiful condos built into industrial frames.

Katie: Right?

Rick: I just love that.

Katie: It’s amazing how they’ve decided to keep these things. They’ve kept that sort of sense of history, and yet it’s an amazing place now for people to come out and enjoy themselves.

The adjacent St. Pancras train station is a reminder that transportation infrastructure has always been a foundation of prosperity. Thanks to an expensive project, now recognized as a great investment, it’s been transformed from sooty to sleek. The slick Eurostar terminal, with bullet train service under the English Channel Tunnel, connects Londoners and Parisians in just over two hours. And with its dramatic canopy of iron and glass, the station stands like a palace remembering the Industrial Age.

Rick: This is quite a statue.

Katie: Isn’t it just? And this is the Lovers, and it’s here in St. Pancras where people have been meeting and parting for 150 years. What I love is it’s quite ambiguous. I mean, don’t know if this is hello or goodbye.

Rick: Really don’t.

Katie: No. And along the bottom, we’ve got this amazing frieze of different scenes of meeting and parting. Here, we’ve got the First World War. You’ve got people here returning from war, wounded servicemen, and then families waving goodbye to their loved ones. What I find particularly moving is how people have touched these hands, they’re worn, as people have sort of wanted to take part in this moment themselves, which I think is rather sweet.

Rick: Yeah.

The most noticeable change in London for visitors in the last generation has been the advent of a modern skyline. Until 1963 the tallest building in London was St Paul’s Cathedral. Today, its dome is dwarfed by a commotion of gleaming and showy skyscrapers.

Walking below what feels like a forest of skyscrapers, you can’t help but crane your neck to admire the sleek and creative architecture.

Developers are obligated to provide the public with a lofty viewing space for the privilege to build. And a quick and easy elevator ride takes us to “sky gardens” like these…a popular new sightseeing thrill with visitors. This beautifully landscaped roof garden offers grand views of The City’s towering buildings.

Katie: And we here in England love to nickname our skyscrapers as well. So over here we’ve got The Shard, the shard of glass.

Rick: Oh, yeah.

Katie: And this one’s known as the Walkie Talkie just over here. Very, very evocative. And, of course, last but not least, we have the Gherkin, which I think in American, you call a pickle.

Rick: It does look like a pickle.

Katie: It does. It does.

And, dwarfed by it all, buried deep in the shadows, a delightful reminder of London’s 19th century industrial heritage survives…the—very impressive in its day—Leadenhall Market. As they have for 200 years, traders still labor hard to make their money and enjoy their beer after a long day of work.