Canary Wharf Group PLC appointed the practice to develop a preferred option to improve the pedestrian route between Poplar Station and Canary Wharf. Currently few of the 80,000 people working at Canary Wharf use Poplar Docklands Light Railway Station, preferring West Quay and Canary Wharf stations in spite of the station’s convenience for the eastern part of the development.

The existing route is tortuous and unpleasant, via a footbridge and between Aspen Way, a busy dual carriageway and a major construction site.

A number of long and short term options were tested, including new ground-level crossings, a more direct footbridge from the east end of the existing station platforms and improvements to the design and quality of the public realm design.