66 PROJECT REPORT: TRANSPORT FACILITIES & PUBLIC REALM


It’s the result of a client who wanted to go beyond simply creating a practical means of mooring this sizeable vessel, to creating a considered architectural addition to the city


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clear boundary from a second gangway section more focused on efficient transport of pedestrians – this boundary provided both by the viewing platform, and the sheer fact of the dramatic change in angle. The result is almost to provide two piers, given they have two distinct horizons for users – the public promenade in particular “draws upon ideas about British seaside and river piers, and the open horizons you get from them.” From the promenade, there’s an uninterrupted view east towards the Thames Barrier, thanks to the 162 m2 triangular viewing platform being enclosed with a frameless balustrade of “ultra- transparent” glazing. Then as the pier heads back westwards, there’s a view of Greenwich and Canary Wharf, also gained through the 4.5 metre glazed wall of the covered waiting area.


Experiencing the pier


The public promenade section is over 5 metres wide – considerably more than the


minimum needed to get to and from a pontoon. Dempsey says this will allow people to linger and look while commuters move past them. “You might have 50 people embarking or disembarking at rush hour, so there’s space for people who might already be there, moving at a slower pace.” The promenade also has a generous wood parapet designed for people to lean on; “it invites pausing.”


The 65 metre long gangway is more enclosed than the public space, to protect commuters heading further out into the river, with a steel roof. Diagonally arranged aluminium battens which have been powder-coated in a copper hue run along the sides, continuing from the public promenade section and echoing traditional pier design. Rising above the parapet here however to support the roof, the walls’ ability to let in daylight helps avoid a claustrophobic feel while protecting users from the elements. While narrower than the public section, the space’s 4 metre height


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