Representations of steam-driven factories in paintings, music and poetry had evoked feelings of doubt and anxiety ever since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Industry had been thought to clash with nature and natural man in various ways. The technology of hydroelectricity, on the other hand, was thought to harmonize with nature, not destroy it. The architecture of the generating plants, here the Electrical Development Company, was designed to express an image of harmony and order. It should be noted, however, that these designs did not emerge spontaneously; the franchises of the power companies stipulated that the Park Commissioners had to approve their building designs.
