Completed in fall 2024, the Canada Dock Boardwalk in south London connects the Canada Water Tube Station to a mixed-use commercial development around the dock and provides pedestrians with a new spot to take in the city after-hours. The 170-meter (~558-ft) long boardwalk, designed by Asif Khan, protects surrounding wetlands while the lighting scheme by Speirs Major Light Architecture (SMLA) adds vibrancy to the site and supports the local biodiversity of bats, birds, and insects. SMLA Associate Partner Benz Roos said, “While it was a priority to ensure that pedestrians had a great experience of crossing the boardwalk, it was equally important to consider the needs of the other living inhabitants of the site. We worked hard to carefully integrate, direct, and shield the light to deliver the image, ambience, and functionality we wanted while limiting potential disruption and unwanted impacts.”
Warm-white light washes the red-stained timber of the boardwalk, highlighting the structure’s “ribbon-like” shape and materiality.
Photo: Luke Hayes and SMLA
Custom louvres, depicted in this rendering, along the balustrade limit light spill and avoid direct reflection of light sources into the water.
Image: SMLA
SMLA worked closely with a site ecologist to design a concept with seasonal timed adjustments of light intensity and color temperature to support the bat population. In the winter when bats hibernate, warm-white 3000K light supports commuters in the evening, and gradually becomes warmer and dimmer as night falls. During the summer, when bats awaken, light on the boardwalk switches on at later hours and does so at a minimal brightness to reduce environmental impact.