Dollar Bay in Canary Wharf, London by SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Article source: SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Work has started on site for a new premier residential tower on East India Dock,overlooking Canary Wharf in London. Designed by award-winning architects SimpsonHaugh and Partners for Mount Anvil, awarded Developer of the Year 2015 (up to 1,000 homes), and Citystyle Homes, Dollar Bay will be situated opposite the o2 Arena and provide unrivalled views of the River Thames and the Canary Wharf docks.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

• Architects: SimpsonHaugh and Partners
• Project: Dollar Bay
• Location: Canary Wharf, London

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

The 31-storey Dollar Bay features 121 residential apartments (10 of which will be shared ownership) as well as retail units, a gym and a private residents’ garden featuring a children’s playground. Dollar Bay features a distinctive design of two crystalline forms that are bound together by a central spine.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Facing west, the facade undulates to create a dynamic rippling effect with the glass panes increasing in size as they near the base of the structure. Designed to reflect the sky and the water, the angled glass planes pick up the colour and movement of the water below and the sky above, to create an animated sculptural form at the head of the dock. A double-height entrance lobby reveals a faceted and fractured interior creating a dramatic sense of arrival.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

SimpsonHaugh and Partners’ design includes a double skin envelope with all apartments having a 1.5m deep winter garden, an important design feature within many of the practice’s projects. The winter gardens provide amenity space without exposure to London’s often-adverse weather conditions.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Glass façades to all sides of the building maximise daylight. Resident-operated glass louvers extend the full length of the elevation, reinforcing the constantly changing appearance of the building and enabling homeowners to enjoy a blended interior/exterior experience.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Circulation areas are contained within the central ‘spine’, providing views out to the north and south. Each floor plate will provide between two and five apartments. The split form of the building touches the ground lightly, articulating and reinforcing the drama of the tower above.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

The public realm at the base of the tower will be transformed to improve the overall experience of the docks for visitors and residents alike. 184 bicycle spaces will be included within the building to promote an active lifestyle amongst the building’s users. The name Dollar Bay derives from the site’s heritage during World War Two when dockworkers would tow American naval ships to their moorings for the cost of one US Dollar. No longer a functioning dock, Dollar Bay will bring this historical site back to life with a new landmark project.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

Dollar Bay completes a trio of high profile projects for SimpsonHaugh and Partners in the capital. The practice is also currently working on Phase One of Battersea Power Station (completing 2016) and One Blackfriars (completing 2017). Dollar Bay will be one of the earliest developments in the Canary Wharf area to complete, opening its doors in 2017.

Image Courtesy © SimpsonHaugh and Partners

SimpsonHaugh and Partners
Founded by Rachel Haugh and Ian Simpson in 1987, SimpsonHaugh and Partners (formerly Ian Simpson Architects) has compiled an impressive portfolio of awardwinning projects. The practice originated from a shared belief in the power of high quality design to lead the regeneration of post-industrial cities and initiate new contemporary architectural identities. The underlying themes of urban renewal, sustainability and design excellence unite an otherwise diverse range of building functions and solutions. Similarly, the completed work demonstrates that the practice’s regeneration objectives are equally valid whether applied to new buildings or to existing historic structures. While the success of its completed work and a growing reputation for design integrity has allowed the practice to expand, Rachel and Ian remain personally involved in each project. Consequently, the inspiration in design and the attention to detail in construction that have stimulated the achievements of the practice so far will continue to guide the ambition and quality of its schemes in the future.

Tags: Canary Wharf, London

Categories: Apartments, Residential, Tower

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