The developers of the £4 billion Canada Water “new town” in east London have unveiled a 170 metre timber boardwalk across the wildlife refuge that once formed part of the Surrey Docks
The joint development partners property company British Land and pension fund AustralianSuper, reveled the Asif Khan-designed architectural landmark ”inspired by the history of the Surrey Docks and its role at the heart of the timber trade during the 19th and 20th centuries.”
Townshend Landscape Architect designed a series of new steps down to the water’s edge with waterside seating alongside an “educational dipping pond.”
The striking red structure allows people to traverse the dock by stepping from timber to timber, “following in the footsteps of the rafters who hopped between floating deal planks in the 19th and early 20th centuries.”
The boardwalk “aims to enhance connectivity within the town centre, while providing visitors with a new way to experience nature without disturbing the environment.”
The wood used for the bridge is cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood that is FSC certified and dyed with an ecological stain.
Canada Water is the surviving northern third of the former Canada Dock, which was mainly used by ships from the Dominion. It formed part of the Surrey Commercial Docks which closed in the 1970s.
Asif Khan said: “Crossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of colour, of nature and of beauty. I want to evoke the crossing of time too. I hope this gives someone a chance to take a breath and look at things in a new way. In today’s world, I think this is more important than ever.”
British Land’s joint head of Canada Water, Emma Cariaga, said: “Asif Khan is a world-class architectural talent and he has created a striking new centrepiece at Canada Dock that will be used every day by the local community. The design is a fantastic tribute to the area’s rich history and the boardwalk will connect people to both nature and the surrounding area.
“Canada Water is progressing at pace with the first phase of homes, workspace and retail completing in the coming months. Canada Dock provides us with a unique opportunity to create an interesting place for people to meet and socialise, especially on the southern edge where cafes and restaurants will spill out onto the dock in the future.”
David Mooney, chief executive officer at the London Wildlife Trust which will play an active role in the wetland’s management, said: “If every developer worked for nature’s recovery as much as this, the environment would be in a much better state.”
Gary Alden, senior associate at Townshend Landscape Architects, “At Canada Dock we had an incredible opportunity to reverse the ecological decline and create a space that improves the wildlife habitat and provides an environment where people and nature are better connected. By creating a mosaic of habitats it will help to sustain a more biodiverse community of birds, invertebrates and other wildlife.”
Roger Madelin, joint head of Canada Water Development at British Land and previously CEO at Argent, said: “We thought, what can we do to the dock to make it a place where people can connect with nature? So we envisioned a boardwalk on it and recreated the wildlife habitat next to it. We want people to come here because of the public realm.”
Over the next decade, the 53-acre Canada Water masterplan will deliver around 1 million sq ft of new retail, leisure and education space, up to 2 million sq ft of workspace for 20,000 workers; and between 2,000 and 4,000 new homes.
