3 & 15 West Lane

Wood Wharf is a major 23-acre mixed-use development on the Isle of Dogs, adjacent to Canary Wharf. Designed as a new urban quarter, it brings together homes, offices, retail, and public spaces to create one of London’s most ambitious neighbourhoods. Located within the masterplan, 3 and 15 West Lane occupy prominent plots within ‘The Lanes’ – a pedestrian-oriented network of streets and public squares. 3 West Lane is conceived as a tall, slender block marking the edge of Union Square, while 15 West Lane is a broader, lower building addressing Bellevue Place. Together, their forms enhance the legibility of the masterplan, reinforcing the public realm and supporting movement through the site.

The design reflects lost warehouse architecture, now re-instated as an important part of Canary Wharf’s heritage and legacy. Historically, the area was a series of basins, locks and docks built during the 19th century when London was a key port and the Isle of Dogs was a focal point of Britain’s shipping industry. The design team undertook detailed research into riverside warehouse typologies along the Thames, using examples from London Bridge to the Isle of Dogs to develop a historically plausible aesthetic for a site where little original dockside architecture remained. The facade is predominantly brick, with pre-cast concrete string courses, cills, lintels, and capitals. Juliet balconies are integrated into the façades to provide visual connection to the outdoors while maintaining a compact footprint.

Each elevation is organised into a base, middle and top, articulated through changes in height, façade rhythm and detailing. Red and brown multi-stock brick forms the primary external material, with deep window reveals, horizontal banding and regular punched openings. The facades also reflect a conscious return to a traditional hierarchy of expression, more detail and articulation at the front, less at the side, and minimal treatment at the rear. This approach contrasts modernist uniformity and instead follows the warehouse logic of addressing the street while economising elsewhere.

Internally, the planning supports a wide range of resident needs, from professionals and students to downsizers and visiting families. The studios are designed with flexibility in mind, enabling different forms of occupation without requiring structural adjustment, an approach that mirrors the adaptive robustness of warehouse architecture.

The buildings achieved BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and sustainability strategies have been incorporated throughout. The rooms have been designed with fully openable windows to avoid the need for mechanical cooling and have been designed into the corridors and lift lobbies to bring in daylight and minimise the reliance on artificial lighting. Window reveal depths have been determined depending on the elevation of the building; on the western side, reveals are deeper up to one and a half bricks to help mitigate against solar gain, while on the eastern side where buildings are shaded by taller buildering, reveals are shallower.

These two buildings represent a distinct contribution to the Wood Wharf neighbourhood, which on completion will deliver 3,600 new homes, 2 million sq ft of office space, 350,000 sq ft retail space, and more than 9 acres of public spaces, squares, and parks, along with a GP surgery and school.

The public realm around 3 & 15 West Lane supports year-round activity, enables a wide range of public use, and contributes to biodiversity, wellbeing, and the evolving neighbourhood character of Wood Wharf. Connecting the buildings to Union Square and Bellevue Place, the landscape supports the walkable, car-free environment and provides active frontage for ground floor retail, entrances, and amenity spaces.

Union Square is a flexible, public space designed for a minimum five-year meanwhile use. It includes a central hard-surfaced events space for exhibitions and seasonal activities, surrounded by planted edges, timber deck, and areas to sit and gather. A raised terrace, adjacent to the event space, incorporates, bleacher seating, edible planting, catenary lighting, and views across the square. At the opposite side, facing north, is an informal play space nestled within naturalistic planting and a subtly undulating landscape.

The generous space is designed for both programmed and everyday use, accommodating public markets, small performances, art installations, and casual interaction. A simple palette of materials is used including resin-bound gravel, timber decking, granite kerbs and metal edging, supporting legibility and step-free access throughout.

Planting delineates spaces and softens edges, with trees selected for seasonal interest and shade. Beds combine ornamental and shade-tolerant species with understorey mixes that support biodiversity. Several pedestrian routes cross the square improving wider access through the neighbourhood and creating dramatic long views across Canary Wharf. Rooftop terraces at 3 & 15 West Lane provide further communal space with views, raised planters, and integrated lighting.

Developed as a response to the client’s brief, ‘Fun and Flair’, the concept for the interior design draws inspiration from the cinematic world of Wes Anderson creating a joyful interior full of character and personality.

A bold palette replaces neutrality with expressive colour and texture, shaping rooms that balance playfulness with warmth. Symmetry and softness coexist, structured grids are softened with ribbed corduroy fabric, arched details and panelled walls. Deep burgundy, soft pinks, bright yellow, green and blue tones form the basis of a layered narrative that evokes both nostalgia and energy. Every room is composed like a frame, layered in tone, texture, and mood. The interiors aim to be immersive yet functional, playful yet precise.

Across both buildings, shared spaces are defined by graphic colour blocking, tactile materials and clear zoning. Velvet, terrazzo, polished plaster and patterned wallcoverings help define function, while modular furniture supports flexible use. Lighting and colour transitions reinforce intuitive wayfinding and space identity.

At 3 West Lane, shared amenities include a second-floor garden lounge and private dining room spaces designed for relaxed, social use, softened with greenery and curved detailing. 15 West Lane offers a top-floor co-working lounge that opens onto a generous terrace, creating a residential-feeling hub for interaction and quiet working.

Both buildings have distinctive entrance lobbies that introduce their character on arrival. One uses a warm, sculptural language with curved timber and layered texture, while the other features a standout rippled fabric wall that blends retro styling with contemporary execution.

Designed for both short and long stays, 3 & 15 West Lane offers 297 aparthotel studios. Ranging from 16 to 22 sqm, they are compact yet highly functional. Bespoke joinery, integrated storage, and fully equipped kitchens deliver efficient living without compromise. Bathrooms feature small-format tiling, brushed brass, and technical stone for a clean, elevated finish. Kitchens were introduced in response to evolving tenure needs, future-proofing each apartment for long-stay living without the need for spatial reconfiguration.

Throughout, the interiors prioritise clarity and comfort, blending expressive design with practical planning. Late-stage adaptations, including a gym and repurposed co-working spaces, reflect the scheme’s capacity to evolve while maintaining a strong identity.

Wayfinding at 3 and 15 West Lane was conceived as a counterpoint to the expressive interiors, grounded in the project’s industrial, warehouse-inspired architecture. The visual language draws from early 20th-century American warehouse signage, particularly the stacked, utilitarian typography of New York’s garment district. This motif provides a unifying design thread throughout both buildings, supporting a coherent identity and intuitive navigation.

Each element, apartment numbers, directories, floor signage, has been designed to reinforce clarity and rhythm. The system uses black-and-white lettering housed in bronze-finished metal trays, mounted flush within architectural wall finishes. Typography, materials and scale are tuned to each location: corridors feature clear, bold signs; floor numbers are presented as supergraphics in lift lobbies; and ground floor directories are backlit for high visibility.

Beyond its functional role, wayfinding is also used to create moments of delight. Neon signs for utility spaces, mirrored plaques, and playful text treatments add character. These touches are carefully integrated into the finishes and lighting strategy, ensuring they feel embedded rather than applied. Together, they lend a sense of charm and informality to an otherwise highly structured environment.