Crossrail Place Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf, London, UK · 2009–2015 · £510m (approx. 2015 prices, based on €600m)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchDecision to use straight glulam beams with complex steel nodes for the roof structure, which was more cost-effective than double-curved beams. - Extensive collaboration between architects (Foster + Partners) and contractors (WIEHAG, Seele) using specialized 3D information exchange for parametric design and fabrication. - Innovative use of ETFE cushions for the roof skin, providing insulation and allowing for dynamic pressure adjustments based on wind conditions, enhancing structural resilience. - Successful delivery ahead of schedule and under budget for the Canary Wharf Crossrail station component.
Key engineering challenges
Constructing a fully submerged station 18m below water level while supporting the weight of the oversite development. - Designing and fabricating a 300m long timber lattice roof with complex steel nodes to connect straight glulam beams to achieve a curved aesthetic. - Creating a microclimate for a public rooftop garden using ETFE cushions and natural ventilation, requiring careful integration of environmental controls and structural design. - Managing the logistics of prefabricating and assembling a large-scale timber structure.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd.
- Lead contractor
- Canary Wharf Contractors Ltd., WIEHAG (timber roof)
- Lead designers
- Foster + Partners (architecture), WIEHAG (roof structure)
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 300m long roof; 1,000 m³ PEFC-certified timber; 1,414 timber beams; 564 steel nodes; 112ft width, 1,017ft length (lattice roof); 45,000 sq ft green space.
- Disciplines
- Civil; structural; architectural; mechanical; electrical; landscape architecture
- Standards & frameworks
- NEC4 (likely for Crossrail project overall); Eurocodes
Sources: Foster + Partners: Crossrail Place Canary Wharf (https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/crossrail-place-canary-wharf/) - WIEHAG: Crossrail station Canary Wharf (https://www.wiehag.com/en/references/canary-wharf-crossrail-station/) - Architect Magazine: The Lattice Roof of Crossrail Place at Canary Wharf (https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/architectural-detail/the-lattice-roof-of-crossrail-place-at-canary-wharf_o) - Crossrail Learning Legacy: Design of Canary Wharf Elizabeth line station and Crossrail Place oversite development (https://learninglegacy.crossrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/7K-005-Design-of-Canary-Wharf-Elizabeth-line-station-and-oversite-development.pdf)