A ground-breaking new jetty on the River Thames, designed to encompass London’s Blue Ribbon river development policy is now nearing completion. As part of a new residential and retail complex at Fulham Wharf, this extraordinary new jetty will house an ecological education centre for the local community together with a bio-diverse wildlife reserve.
The jetty at Fulham Wharf was originally built for unloading coal for powering Fulham power station; however since the powerstation closed in the 1960s the jetty has lain derelict. This scheme reconnects the jetty to the shore with the new single storey ecological education centre located on the upstream end. The access also includes a new staircase down to the foreshore to enable pupils to carry out foreshore surveys at low tide. Within the centre there are to be facilities for teaching all aspects or the riverine environment including biology, ecology, hydrology, archaeology, social history and cargo handling.
The roof of the new building swoops down to become a continuum with the jetty deck. The roof and jetty will be covered with a green/brown habitat to provide three distinct environments for wildlife, one on the flat roof, one on the slope and the third on the jetty deck. This ecological zone will be visible from the building via a glad viewing area but will only be accessible for maintenance.
Due to the proposed location of the building over the River Thames, Beckett Rankine was asked by the developer to assess the viability of the plans taking into consideration the jetty’s location in the river adjacent to a busy safeguarded wharf. In addition to planning consent the scheme also required us to obtain consents from the Port of London Authority, the Environment Agency and the Marine Management Organisation. We also reviewed the structural adequacy of the jetty and advised on local repairs and strengthening which was required to support the building’s columns.
The plans for the centre have been developed in partnership with Thames Explorer Trust and Hammersmith and Fulham Urban Studies Centre. and the approval will initially see the building used as a marketing suite for the regeneration scheme before a local educational environmental charity takes over. The design was based on the feedback received following consultation meetings and aims to set a focal point for successful, effective and lasting community use to provide local residents with the chance to engage with the Thames.
Further information about the project can be found at: www.fulhamwharf.co.uk
