Described as 'the first riverside park to be built in London for over 50 years', the Thames Barrier Park is a 7-hectare green space located in the royal Docks - an area in the London Borough of Newham. Once a derelict brownfield site, which once housed petrochemical and acid works on the Thames Riverbank, surrounded by what was a yet to be developed part of London. The contaminated soil was covered with a 6 foot layer of crushed concrete to protect the new soil laid on top, offering the chance for plants and wildlife to flourish.
In 1995, an International competition was held to design Thames Barrier Park, in hopes of finding the best scheme for transforming the site into a vibrant public space, aiding regeneration of the area and attracting investment to London's Royal Docks. Winners of the competition were Allain Provost - French Landscape Architect, well-known for his clean lines, clipped hedges, and strong geometric forms, and Alain Cousseran of Groupe Signes with Architects Patel Taylor. The park opened in 2000 and is easily characterised by clipped Taxus baccata hedges shaped into huge rows of undulating waves, which eventually lead the eye down to the dominating views of Thames Flood Barrier - this 'Green Trench' was intended as a reminder of the site's dockland heritage. Two bridges cross the Green Trench (Green Dock), and reveal vistas across the vibrant, scented gardens.
The park is interspersed with colourful perennials and grasses, swathes of wildflower meadows, amongst a grid of Betula, designed to create a wind-protected microclimate and showcase diversity throughout the year, while also providing a habitat for insects and birds. Children's play areas, a basketball court, visitor pavilion and coffee shop are part of the wider site design, all with views of the Thames and its flood barrier, featuring 32 fountains in a stone courtyard - these are pictured below.
The park was ultimately designed in response to the surrounding developments, creating a rich and inviting new public space which effectively initiates a new piece of London with its own clear identity, linking the both the river and rich industrial context.
There are elements of the park which in my opinion work really well, including the thoughtful concepts which define the site, for example the Pavilion of Remembrance near the river which commemorates the local people who died in the Second World War. The pavilion and other features are an opportunity for those now living in the area to understand the history of the site, with additional opportunities for contemplation for those who fought to protect the country. The park has been acknowledge for this with a multitude based on the design. However, it these feature would be easier to understand if there were clear plaques and signs to inform users. The overall maintenance of the park reduces its impact, the Taxus bacctata hedges - constantly in need of clipping to maintain their striking lines, and overall maintenance is poor, with multiple elements of the park 'falling apart'. For security reasons, the park is defined by a substantial security fence between the park and bordering housing, when entering the park from nearby station there is little impact because of this - in fact its hard to even identify the park whatsoever. The following figures show some of these elements.
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To conclude, Thames Barrier Park has some strong elements and ultimately does provide green space for many the local and wider community, with opportunities for play, relaxation and fitness, however, it is pronounced that the park is now 25 years old and is beginning to become tired visually.
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