Canada Water Pedestrian Boardwalk / Asif Khan Studio
Text description provided by the architects. British Land and AustralianSuper, the joint venture partners behind the Canada Water masterplan, unveiled a new Asif Khan-designed public architectural landmark. The dramatic 170m long boardwalk is 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, transforming the area into a unique public space to bring people together to learn about the area’s heritage and ecology. The striking red timber 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 center while providing visitors with a new way to experience nature without disturbing the environment. It offers visitors the ability to connect with nature and walk between the different natural wildlife habitats. Gracefully weaving across the dock, the elevated structure floats on the water’s surface, offering unique views and bringing people down to experience nature up close. Through the creation of a series of islands and channels, Townshend, working in collaboration with the London Wildlife Trust, has created a new shoreline alongside a mosaic of different habitats that will maximize biodiversity. Three new wetland habitats have been created, alongside seven wetland islands, and over one kilometre of shallow edges. Reed beds, new flowering plants and trees have been planted to attract dragonflies, butterflies, kingfishers and frogs, while providing ideal nesting habitats for ducks, swans and other birds.
Asif Khan said: “Crossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of color, 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, adds: “Asif Khan is a world-class architectural talent and he has created a striking new centerpiece 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 socialize, especially on the southern edge where cafes and restaurants will spill out onto the dock in the future.”
Over the next decade, the 53-acre Canada Water masterplan will deliver a new district for central London with around 1 million sq ft of new retail, leisure and education amenities; up to 2 million sq ft of workspace for 20,000 workers; between 2,000 and 4,000 new homes; all alongside a 3.5-acre public
