Description

The 10,000m² site is constructed over Canary Wharf Jubilee Line underground station, the retail mall and a public car park. It forms the largest green open space on the Canary Wharf Estate. Considered as an oasis within an urban environment, its curvilinear design of bold organic shapes provides a positive contrast to the geometry and scale of the surrounding buildings.
Rather than screening views from the array of multi-storey office buildings, the large number of trees deflect interest down to a lower level, emphasising a more human scale. The quality of planted spaces provides a haven of peace and lushness.

The dominant feature of the park is the central, sinuous raised water feature. There are twenty-two single fountains and pools, each with a foaming jet linked by weirs to five features. The layout of the water feature is curved to provide a countermovement to the dominance of straight lines in the setting of the park.

The pools are raised to facilitate better public interaction with the water, and to limit health and safety issues associated with water in the landscape. The pools, in contrast to the curved landform walls have angled edges and all are clad in Belgian limestone from Vinalmont, which at present is blue-grey, but will weather to white over time.

The park is not closed at night and therefore has no railings. The lighting is a balance of that which spills out from the buildings and low levels of park lights. CCTV is supplemented by security guard patrols.