Year
2024Duration
2023-2024Cost
Part of the £4bn Canada Water MasterplanLocation
United KingdomProject achievements
Connected communities
Improves connectivity in Canada Water
Environment benefitted
Ensures wildlife can thrive alongside human visitors
Area improved
Part of the masterplan to turn 53 acres of Rotherhithe into a new, mixed-use urban centre
A bright spot in London’s busy east
The Canada Dock Boardwalk is a striking red walkway that has transformed east London's landscape as part of British Land's £4bn Canada Water Masterplan.
This joint venture with AustralianSuper aims to revitalise 53 acres of Rotherhithe into a new, mixed-use urban centre.
The project began with architect Asif Khan bringing his creative vision to the boardwalk's design. Known for his work on the London Museum and Barbican Centre renewal, Khan created a structure that transcends its basic function as a crossing.
Working with the London Wildlife Trust and Southwark Council, the designers ensured wildlife could thrive alongside human visitors.
What was once an underused space has become a destination where families, joggers, and nature enthusiasts enjoy unexpected moments of peace in busy London.
Did you know …
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The boardwalk's distinctive colour pays homage to the red pine timber that historically arrived from Canada at this dock during the Victorian era.
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Engineers hid the structure's steel supports beneath the timber deck and within landscape islands, creating a seemingly floating appearance.
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The Southern Steps area was created on reclaimed land within the dock, using sheet piling to form a new dock wall 10m inside the existing one.
How was the boardwalk built?
The design established the distinctive red steel frame and timber fins that would become the boardwalk’s signature.
The engineering team, led by Whitby Wood, created a 4.2m-wide structure that curves in elevation and plan.
"The final boardwalk design is a high specification galvanised steel frame with structural timber elements," explains Gioele Nunziatini, Whitby Wood's associate structural lead engineer.
"We calculated where to place the steel supports so that they are hidden beneath the timber deck and within the landscape islands of the nature reserve," Gioele says.
The team tackled unique challenges, including designing a new dockside balustrade and creating the Southern Steps tiered seating area on reclaimed land within the dock.
To do this, the project team employed sheet piling, installing steel piles into the dock to create stable foundations for the boardwalk and the tiered steps.
Sheet piling also helped to improve the dock soil’s ability to hold onto water while the works were carried out and protected it until water levels returned to normal.
Difference the project has made
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Canada Dock boardwalk is how it has transformed the way people interact with this once-underused space. The wide, accessible pathway has become a destination in itself.
By prioritising environmental and community needs, the project demonstrates that infrastructure development doesn't have to come at the expense of natural habitats.
As Roger Madelin, joint head of Canada Water, notes: "We want people to come here because of the public realm."
Working in partnership with the London Wildlife Trust and Southwark Council, designers have made sure wildlife can thrive alongside human visitors.
Over 24,000 plants, shrubs, trees, and perennials transformed the area into a thriving ecosystem. The boardwalk's design also includes specific features that support birds and aquatic life.
Furthermore, the project has created an impressive ecological framework, including three wetland habitats and seven wetland islands.
"If every developer worked for nature’s recovery as much as this, the environment would be in a much better state," said David Mooney, CEO of London Wildlife Trust.
The complete Canada Water Masterplan will bring approximately:
- 1 million square feet of retail, leisure, and education space;
- up to 2 million square feet of space for 20,000 workers; and
- between 2,000 and 4,000 new homes.
People who made it happen
The structure, engineered by Whitby Wood, has the distinctive creative signature of Asif Khan, one of London's most innovative architects.
A team of experts, including Whitby Wood, Townshend Landscape Architects, AECOM, Gardner & Theobald, Galldris Construction, Xylotek and SH Structures worked together to create the boardwalk.
Gioele Nunziatini was Whitby Wood’s associate structural lead engineer.
Michael Delfs was British Land's urban designer and development executive.
David Mooney, CEO of London Wildlife Trust, and Roger Madelin, joint head of Canada Water, also helped bring the project to life.
