Eden Dock

Canary Wharf has transformed from a post-industrial hub into a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood, shifting focus from commercial development to include residential areas, retail, dining, and green public spaces. This evolution has created a fully accessible destination, welcoming residents, workers, and visitors alike.

Eden Dock, for Canary Wharf Group, is a 1.55-hectare site that exemplifies nature-led placemaking and marks a transformative step in the area’s evolution. Serving as a nature-focused public amenity space for both the surrounding businesses and the area’s growing population. Part of the historic West India and Millwall Docks complex this 325m long enclosed waterway stretches from Jubilee Plaza to Newfoundland. Surrounded by offices, restaurants, and retail spaces, it serves as a vital connection point for commuters and visitors.

Eden Dock’ environmental benefits are evident with 55% biodiversity net gain within the dock’s boundary, facilitated by 770 sqm of floating islands and aquatic shelves that provide year-round habitats for pollinators, birds, and aquatic life. The impact has been assessed in various ways including measurable outcomes like urban heat island mitigation and water quality enhancement. Submerged root systems support fish and invertebrates, while bird and bat boxes, fish refuges, and waterfowl ramps expand the ecological network. Low-level lighting ensures minimal disruption to nocturnal wildlife.

The planting strategy incorporates 70–80 species and 42 new trees, prioritising diverse, resilient vegetation that is bird-resistant and trampling-tolerant, ensuring long-term ecological stability as vegetation matures. Temporary fencing protects the planted islands during establishment, with innovative “duck doors” and two-stage apertures allowing safe passage for chick and small species while preventing injury.

Sustainable materials, including recycled steel, FSC-certified timber, and low-carbon concrete, significantly reduce embodied carbon. The floating structure avoids deep concrete piles, minimising construction impacts. These measures result in a 100% improvement in predicted ecosystem service value and a 10% reduction in urban heat island effects.

Social infrastructure includes 2,500 sqm of walkways, 150m of seating, and universal access ramps, ensuring the space is accessible to all. A 3m-wide pedestrian crossing enhances connectivity, while low-level pontoons allow direct engagement with the water, creating a multifunctional public realm. These features encourage diverse use, from informal recreation to ecological education, while providing a considered interface between the built and natural environment.

At the water’s edge, boardwalks, bleacher seating, and terraces provide inviting spaces where people can gather, relax, and engage with the water. The Community and Event Platform, sheltered by a timber canopy, functions as a flexible venue for outdoor performances, educational workshops, and cultural programming. Interpretive signage enhances understanding of the site’s ecological features, supporting educational initiatives.

Below water, a cantilevered aquatic shelf supports submerged planting and a marine monitoring station equipped with underwater cameras, allowing biodiversity to be tracked, studied and observed on a ground level. These features encourage focal point for educational engagement, citizen science and provide a basis for advanced environmental monitoring, contributing to research to test the veracity of modelled benefits helping push best practice forward.

The project’s inclusive design ensures accessibility for all, incorporating spaces for play and exploration tailored to children, as well as areas for relaxation and activity designed to accommodate residents, office workers, and visitors. Natural play elements such as “mini worlds,” sandboxes, and interactive features like pond dipping provide opportunities for discovery and engagement, fostering independent mobility and connection with nature.

Through its carefully composed layers of ecological functionality and public amenity, Eden Dock demonstrates how considered design can create a space that enriches both its community and its environment, setting a precedent for inclusive, sustainable urban design.

Eden Dock’s design integrates gradual inclines with timber bleacher seating, seamlessly combining steps, walkways, and gardens to bring the public realm to water level for the first time. Durable hardwood boardwalks, supported by pre-cast concrete pontoons, form robust, flexible foundations. Respecting the dock’s heritage, all structures float on the water’s surface, rise and fall with the tides and changing water levels.

Hollow-concrete modular pontoons create south- and west-facing spaces for floating gardens, educational platforms, and social terraces. A 1.5-metre cantilevered aquatic shelf supports saline-resistant planting while enhancing safety. A new north-south footbridge links local landmarks, complemented by 2,500 sqm of walkways, 150m of seating, and universal access ramps, ensuring inclusive connectivity.

The timber boardwalk, formed of durable hardwood with a 15-year guarantee, connects seamlessly to solid, non-slip masonry paving, creating a gradual transition from Jubilee Plaza to the floating pontoons and enhancing accessibility throughout the space.