Dagenham Docks

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Chequers Lane before construction, Oct 2004
trees and pavements
wide raft
design drawing, raft types
precast concrete raft, construction photo Sept 06
narrow raft
Chequers Lane. photo: J. Lovekin, June 2007.
Chequers Lane. photo: J.Lovekin, June 2007.
Design model Hindmans Way Public Realm, Jan 2005
Public space leading to the River Thames
Thames River seen from Hindmans Way. photo: J. Lovekin, June 2007.

New Industrial Road Infrastructure and Public Realm Design, Dagenham Dock, South Dagenham, London

Florian Beigel + ARU, for the London Development Agency

(Phase 01 completed: Spring, 2007)

This project is on part of a series of streetscape and public realm designs that will link the underground station at Dagenham Heathway to Dagenham Dock railway station and continue down to the banks of the Thames River. It is one of the Mayor of London's 100 Public Spaces Projects, offering improved facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and a more generous public realm to support a renewed quarter for sustainable industries.

ARU is responsible for the design of the Public Realm of the southern portion of this route and the roads that connect Dagenham Dock Station to the Thames River Chequers Lane and Hindmans Way. This project is part of the complete reconstruction of these heavily used industrial roads, including their drainage and utilities infrastructure by the London Development Agency. The concept of the design is to offer people more awareness of the space of the Thames River when they are in South Dagenham. The ARU design for Phase 01 of the project provides a wide public footpath on one side of Chequers Lane, with a series of large dark grey pre-cast concrete 'rafts' laid into the concrete surface of the road. Re-cycled york-stones are inlaid into the rafts in a floating pattern not unlike the floating arrangement of the rafts themselves. A two-way cycle path is on the opposite side of the road.

Phase 02 will be a similarly enlarged public pavement on Hindmans Way, leading to a large public place overlooking the Thames River. This is one of the only public points of access to the river in this area. A gently sloping earth ramp is proposed to allow people to get a view of the river horizon over the flood defence embankment wall. A public facility such as a small café building and a place for large lorries to park will be on this ramp.

Selected Publications

Building Design
'Adding a human touch', by Ellis Woodman, 26 Oct. 2007, ISSN 0007-3423, p.16-17.
download pdf
Financial Times
'London's least pedestrian roadway', by Edwin Heathcote, 5/6 May, 2007, Life & Arts section, p.18.

download

Civilizing Spaces Improving London’s Public Realm
p.28-29, exhibition catalogue, New London Architecture, 2005.
the architects’ journal, London
‘Tide of change', by Andrew Mead, 10.03.05, p.18-20.
Building Design
'Is London getting a square deal?', by Ellis Woodman, 04 Feb. 2005, ISSN 0007-3423, p. 14-17

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