Eden Dock – ADC

Howells and HTA Design have completed a biodiverse and ecologically-rich public space at the heart of London’s Canary Wharf.

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Greg Holmes

Designed by Howells, with landscape design by HTA Design for Canary Wharf Group, Eden Dock is a new public space located at the heart of Canary Wharf. A gradually inclined ‘shore’ of timber bleacher seating integrates with generous amphitheatre steps, walkways and dense garden planting, bringing the public realm down to the water for the first time.

On the water, floating boardwalks create a new accessible public route connecting a series of floating gardens, an education pontoon, and terraces for social and cultural use. The floating islands lead to an open-water swimming area, set within a safe public setting. Below water level, a cantilevered shelf supports aquatic planting, along with a marine monitoring station, including underwater cameras to track biodiversity, providing a focal point for educational engagement.

Native vegetation provides valuable habitats on the floating islands for invertebrates, amphibians, fish and waterfowl. In addition, fish refuges hung beneath the islands create safe spawning ground, while bird boxes hung among the trees create new nesting sites for a range of garden bird species.

Eden Dock is the latest part of Howells’ wider placemaking masterplan for Canary Wharf, following the recent completion of two new water pavilions at Wood Wharf. A pedestrian footbridge across Eden Dock, set to complete next year, will provide a new north-south link joining together and improving footfall across the neighbourhood.

“Eden Dock is an exemplar of our placemaking approach, finding inventive ways of unlocking the amazing untapped potential of Canary Wharf’s historic dock infrastructure, while creating a significant uplift in urban greening,” said Glenn Howells, Partner at Howells. “Introducing floating ecology islands, and outdoor spaces for culture and education, Eden Dock connects the public with the water, and reclaims this previously inactive space for wellbeing, education, health and leisure. The dock is central to our proposals for a green-blue spine of biodiversity, green routes and new public realm across the Isle of Dogs.”

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