Canary Wharf Group has partnered with the Eden Project to launch Eden Dock, a green 'urban oasis' in London's Docklands. The project, which officially opens today, features floating gardens, boardwalks, and aquatic habitats designed to boost biodiversity in an area where hundreds of thousands of people work, live, and shop.
The dock is already home to wading birds, waterfowl, songbirds, bees, eels, and plant species rarely seen in London. A living artwork called 'Nature Rising' has been installed, comprising over 20 figures made of ligustrum, a flowering shrub, dotted around the dock.
New research published by Canary Wharf shows that nearly three-quarters of office workers prefer to work near water and green spaces, and a similar proportion actively seek out such areas to relax. Shobi Khan, CEO of Canary Wharf Group, said: 'Sustainability is part of CWG’s DNA... Eden Dock is the first of its kind, a best in practice global example of how we can support biodiversity gain in cities.'
Former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, Chair of Brookfield Asset Management, which owns 50% of Canary Wharf, commented: 'To manage the continued growth of the global urban population sustainably, we must prioritise smart urban planning... Our cities must be designed to enhance the quality of life for all.'
Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, said: 'The varied surfaces, textures and environments found at Eden Dock will encourage a greater diversity of life than much of the open farmland in this country... The attention to life and beauty will directly influence the happiness and sense of belonging of all who work, live and visit here.'
