Patel Taylor

The London Development Agency asked us to create a square in the space between a listed three storey warehouse, old dock cranes and a new DLR station. It is the node that introduces a framework for public space across the neighbourhood. The design transforms the context so that the physical and historic qualities of the old dock structures are incorporated into the public realm.

A series of new and traditional urban features, including a covered walkway, grass, trees and fibre optic lighting, weave the varied elements together, asserting the primacy of the warehouse but allowing it to be seen in new ways. Tough materials reflect the robust nature of the dockside location, but their variety introduces another departure from the functional origins.

Landscape Institute Design Award 2004