Canary Wharf, E14

Canary Wharf is East London’s iconic district, the world-renowned business and finance hub, and an extraordinary urban setting along historic docks and the River Thames. The district is approximating 128 acres and has been developed on the site of the former West India Dock. It occupies the heart of London’s Docklands in the northern section of the Isle of Dogs peninsula. Canary Wharf incorporates North Dock, South Dock, Inner Dock, and Blackwall Basin. The area is owned, managed, and developed by the Canary Wharf Group and includes Westferry Circus, Cabot, Canada Square & Crossrail Place, Jubilee & Bank Street, and Montgomery Square & Wood Wharf neighbourhoods.

The One Canada Square skyscraper is still the focal point of Canary Wharf, even though the district’s landscape has changed dramatically since the 1990s at the time of its completion. Since then, fresh investments into new, high-rise, mixed-use developments with modern housing, amenities, and infrastructure have transformed Canary Wharf into a desirable place to live too. The Elizabeth Line arrived in the district in 2023 and has contributed to the changing character of Canary Wharf which is now an attractive London visitors’ riverside destination packed with easily accessible shopping, leisure facilities, and cultural events.

Canary Wharf history

Canary Wharf’s corporate district was born out of London’s 1980s financial services boom and the need to house the expanding trading floors of major banks. However, the history of Canary Wharf goes way back in time and follows dramatic events that have been affecting London’s maritime industry since the 1600s.

By the 1600s, most of London's commerce relying on the Thames was taking place upriver, in the Port of London, set between London Bridge and the Tower. At that time, The Isle of Dogs was a marshland regularly flooded by the river. The walls and windmills built on along the flat peninsula riverbanks were the only firm structures purposely built to protect the ship trade from the theft and the agricultural land from flooding.

During the 1780s, London grew as a busy commercial city with the overcrowded Port of London processing nearly 65% of the whole of England’s trade. The City quays and wharves became inadequate, and the Port had to expand its operations further east along the Thames, towards the Isle of Dogs and the Thames Estuary.

In 1799 the Parliament authorised the construction of a dock on the Isle of Dogs ‘for rendering more commodious and better regulating the Port of London’, and to ensure that ‘West India produce might be effectually secure from loss by theft or other causes and the public revenue greatly benefited.’

The first of large docks on the Isle of Dogs was completed in 1802. Most of the docks were named after the place (country) of the origin of the goods. ‘Constant stream of fruit ships from Canary Island, arriving at the South Quay Import Dock led to the renaming of one of the dock berths to Canary Wharf.’

The City Canal (the South Dock), a shortcut from Limehouse Reach to Blackwall Reach was opened in 1805. The canal was to ‘save vessels time and risk in navigating the reaches of the river around the Isle of Dogs.’

For the next 150 years, Canary Wharf was known as one of the world’s most important trading ports. With the increased shipping, manufacturing, and other services supporting the industry, Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs held many employment opportunities for Londoners. As a result, the population inhabiting the district grew from 4,000 in 1851 to 21,000 in 1901.

Throughout WW2, more than 25,000 German bombs fell on the Docklands including the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf. Severe damages to the infrastructure led to the reduction of many trade operations.

The post-war decline was accelerated by the goods transport mechanisation, the loss of British Colonies, and the advance of larger ships and containerisation of the industry. The existing facilities became increasingly inaccessible and inadequate for the progressing post-war shipping industry.

‘In the space of just over a decade, the Docklands went from the centre of British commerce to an unrecognisable wasteland, and between 1967 and 1971 all the major wharfs closed.’ The whole area of the Isle of Dogs suffered a decline and became isolated from the rest of London.

Canary Wharf regeneration and future development

The regeneration of Canary Wharf started in the 1980s with the creation of the London Docklands Development Corporation which attracted banks and law firms in need of large office space. Docklands Light Railway (DLR) opened in July 1987 and was the first major transport improvement linking the Isle of Dogs with the City of London. The first building, One Canada Square, was completed in 1991 with the first commercial tenants moving in in January 1992. The HSBC Tower and Citigroup Centre followed. In December 1999, the Jubilee Line extension reached Canary Wharf as an important transport artery linking the district with Stratford (Olympic Village), Southbank, and Westminster. The Elizabeth Line is another game-changer for the district, providing fast links with the City of London, Paddington, Heathrow and beyond.

The remarkable transformation of Canary Wharf continues under the Canary Wharf Group's directions and plans which include further investments in residential and office space as well as in local infrastructure and amenities. The next development phase includes North Quay, (north of the Canary Wharf Crossrail Place, between Aspen Way, Hertsmere Road, and Billingsgate Market), Wood Wharf Phase Three residential, and the Middle Dock public realm.

The North Quay is a new mixed-use scheme that will link Canary Wharf and South Poplar. ‘The ambition is to create a masterplan which guarantees significant public realm and open space and enhanced north-south connectivity.’

Wood Wharf Phase Three comprises over 1,300 new homes set in five buildings which will also have office and retail commercial space set in over nine acres of public space.

The Middle Dock project, in partnership with the Edan Project, introduces the best new urban environment practices that will transform the old and new public spaces and waterways across the estate.

Canary Wharf Arts, Culture and Retail

The history of Canary Wharf, Docklands, and the Port of London is well documented in the Museum of London Docklands located on the West India Quay. The museum site is part of the historic, conservation area built between 1800-1810.

The modern architectural heritage of Canary Wharf is vast and includes buildings such as One Canada Square by César Pelli, The Cabot by Carmody Groarke, Crossrail Place by Foster + Partners, and a collection of recently completed high-rise towers by Allies and Morrison, Darling Associates, Grid Architects, Herzog & de Meuron, KPF, Patel Taylor and Stanton Williams Architects.

Surrounded by picturesque quays, with over 5km of waterside boardwalks, and various public parks and squares, Canary Wharf offers an attractive waterside setting for various outdoor events and activities such as the London marathon.

Canary Wharf displays one of London’s largest collections of outdoor public art including works by Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick, Ron Arad, Igor Mitoraj, Giles Penny, Yinka Ilori, and Camille Walala. Each year, the district supports over 100 art events.

Canada Square Park and Jubilee Park are settings for the popular Winter Wonderland with ice skating, the Winter Light Festival, and the Festival14, a four-day music, theatre, and comedy summer event.

Crossrail Place roof garden (completed in 2015) is one of the most visited garden attractions in Canary Wharf. Exotic, lush plants are sheltered within a stunning greenhouse-type structure that forms an elevated oasis in the middle of a busy commercial realm. The garden sits on top of a selection of cafes and shops and is set above the entrance to the Elizabeth Line platforms.

Canary Wharf is a place to try many water-based activities including paddle-boarding, open-water swimming, kayaking, and boat touring of the docks and the river. Flip Out in Cabot Square is a new adventure park with 30,000 sq. ft. of playground space. And there is Padium, a world-class padel centre.

The district is home to 310 retailers including 74 cafes, bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and five health clubs. The retail is set in Canary Wharf Shopping Centre, Jubilee Place, Canada Place, and Crossrail Place.

Developments

Aspen

Atlantic Wharf

Arena Tower

Ability Place

Baltimore Wharf

Charrington Tower

Circus Apartments

Dollar Bay

Discovery Dock

Goodluck Hope

Harbour Central