Moore Street Substation Collection: Sheffield's Concrete Citadel

It has been called a "paroxysm of a building," a fortress, and a windowless bunker. But to many in Sheffield, the Moore Street Electricity Substation is simply "The Citadel."

Designed by Jefferson Sheard (specifically Bryan Jefferson) and completed in 1968, this Grade II listed giant is one of the most uncompromising examples of Brutalist architecture in the UK. Standing on the edge of the city centre, its massive, board-marked concrete fins were designed to house the immense power of the city's grid—a "temple of electricity" that celebrates raw energy.

To most, it is a mystery. Windowless and impenetrable, it has sparked decades of rumors about what lies inside. But by night, it transforms into a glowing beacon, illuminated in colour to become a stunning piece of urban sculpture. It has even hosted rare underground art events (like the Sensoria Festival) and inspired albums by electronic legends The Black Dog.

Whether you see it as a "brutalist monster" or a masterpiece of civic engineering, this collection celebrates Sheffield’s most powerful enigma.

For all our Brutalist buildings click HERE

For all our Sheffield buildings click HERE

For all our UK buildings click HERE

For all our buildings click HERE

Moore Street Substation Collection: Sheffield's Concrete Citadel

It has been called a "paroxysm of a building," a fortress, and a windowless bunker. But to many in Sheffield, the Moore Street Electricity Substation is simply "The Citadel."

Designed by Jefferson Sheard (specifically Bryan Jefferson) and completed in 1968, this Grade II listed giant is one of the most uncompromising examples of Brutalist architecture in the UK. Standing on the edge of the city centre, its massive, board-marked concrete fins were designed to house the immense power of the city's grid—a "temple of electricity" that celebrates raw energy.

To most, it is a mystery. Windowless and impenetrable, it has sparked decades of rumors about what lies inside. But by night, it transforms into a glowing beacon, illuminated in colour to become a stunning piece of urban sculpture. It has even hosted rare underground art events (like the Sensoria Festival) and inspired albums by electronic legends The Black Dog.

Whether you see it as a "brutalist monster" or a masterpiece of civic engineering, this collection celebrates Sheffield’s most powerful enigma.

For all our Brutalist buildings click HERE

For all our Sheffield buildings click HERE

For all our UK buildings click HERE

For all our buildings click HERE

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