Launching today to the public, Royal Wharf Pier is now London’s newest and longest riverboat terminal. Developed by Ballymore & Oxley, and located at the landmark Royal Wharf development, the pier is a contemporary response to the traditional British seaside pier, and will now welcome locals, commuters and tourists to its shores. In addition to becoming the latest stop on the Thames Clippers service, the pier will provide a large public space for Londoners, consisting of an 162m2 viewing platform and 65m walkway completely wrapped in glass to allow for unparalleled views across the water.
The Royal Wharf Pier will be architect’s Nex-‘s first foray into marine architecture in London. The ambitious build which secured planning 2016, was constructed offsite in Holland, and travelled almost 300 miles by water to reach its current home at the riverside development, Royal Wharf.
The steel, selected by Marine Engineering Consultancy, Beckett Rankine, due to it being incredibly strong and light, is painted a dark grey to ensure the colour weathers well on the river, whilst the balustrade and ceiling of the pontoon is a copper shade to create a feeling of warmth.
Royal Wharf Pier responds to the diverse needs of Londoners, both as a viable alternative method of transport and through its promotion of the Thames, widely seen as an untapped and underused resource.
As a fully-operational station on the popular Thames Clippers service, Royal Wharf Pier will offer locals a new and more comfortable way to travel to many of the capital’s most visited destinations, including Canary Wharf (23 mins), Tower (34 mins), London Bridge City (38 mins), Blackfriars (45 mins) and Embankment (52 mins). According to the latest phase of the University of Greenwich wellness research conducted in June 2019, Londoners who commute by boat are still the happiest and most relaxed commuters.
