Poplar Station is one of the original Docklands Light Railway stations and opened in 1987 as part of the 14 kilometre first phase, which was built in three years at a modest cost of £77 million, including rolling stock. The original stations were designed very simply as a ‘kit-of-parts’ plugged onto a somewhat basic elevated viaduct structure. The station entrance and concourse below the viaduct is a utilitarian, engineered space and surveys have confirmed that their unwelcoming nature serves as a major deterrent, particularly at night. The rapid regeneration of Docklands and neighbouring areas far exceeded the scale originally envisaged.

The urban design study identifies how the station concourse can be rationalised, removing surplus space and remodelling the functional arrangement. A series of improvements are proposed including installation of lighting, new finishes throughout, an entrance canopy and secure bicycle lockers.

These objectives of minimising security concerns and creating an attractive environment that counteracts the negative perceptions and barriers to DLR usage are applied to the surrounding context – with a series of projects identified to improve public space, inject new activity and more visually stimulating architectural forms.