East London’s newest development

Barking Riverside Limited (BRL) is creating a new neighbourhood on the River Thames in East London, projected to deliver up to 20,000 homes and become one of Europe’s biggest urban developments.

Barking Riverside is situated on the site of a former power station that had closed decades prior, abandoning a coal jetty that was prime for repurposing into a new pier.

As part of plans to improve connectivity for its future residents, BRL secured an agreement with Thames Clippers to extend their Riverbus service by an additional 4km.

More than just a pier

Beckett Rankine was commissioned as Principal Designer to propose a new landmark pier that would ‘put Barking Riverside on the map’. It was required to be architecturally significant, provide shelter, improve riverside access, and serve as a transport hub that allows two Uber boats to moor at once.

We carried out a variety of preparatory investigations and repairs to secure the original coal jetty’s long-term resilience. Then, working closely with Thames Clippers, we developed a design in collaboration with Anthony Carlile Architects that repurposed and upgraded the coal jetty into a unique new structure.

Beckett Rankine was then appointed NEC Project Manager / Supervisor to oversee the pier’s construction.

The appointed contractor was Mclaughlin & Harvey, who installed a row of tubular piles in the river to accommodate the simultaneous berthing of two ferries. The pontoon and brow were fabricated and floated into position by Ravestein B.V.

From conception to completion, Barking Riverside Pier was delivered within 2 years.

Award-winning transformation

Formally opened in 2022, Barking Riverside Pier quickly became one of London’s most popular commuter piers, achieving 100,000 passengers within 10 months of opening.

The pier facilitated Thames Clippers’ introduction of high-speed hybrid vessels to their fleet, marking a step-change in reducing carbon emissions on the river and paving the way for full electrification of Thames passenger ferries in the future.

The transformative impact of Barking Riverside Pier was recognised as the ‘Best Infrastructure Project Award – Small’ in the ICE London Awards 2024. The awards celebrate excellence within civil engineering and technical writing, alongside outstanding commitment and impact.

Pier design details

The final design consisted of three key parts, each with its own environment and challenges:

• a 63m-long canting brow and floating pontoon;
• a boardwalk and viewing platform, repurposing the old coal jetty; and
• a landscaped access path.

From an aerial perspective, the pontoon takes the geometric shape of BRL’s logo. Its floor-to-ceiling windows treat passengers to panoramic views of the river, while the structure is built using sustainably sourced timber and materials that will keep the space cool in summer and warm in winter.

Beyond the aesthetics, the pier’s innovative minimalist design accounts for improving accessibility for all users, reducing carbon impact, minimising disruption to local ecology, and ensuring future climate resilience.

Accessibility

• Transport hub: The pier is located close to road, bus and cycle routes as well as an Overground train station.
• Inviting entrance: The pier is reached via a wide path suitable for multiple users and landscaped with native flora.
• Access for all: The brow has a gentle gradient at all tides and provides step-free access to the pontoon. There are also benches available across the entire site.

Images: Barking Riverside Ltd

Sustainability and ecology

• Smart berthing: Instead of constructing a double-length pontoon, steel berthing piles were installed to accommodate two vessels at a time – saving approximately 174t of embodied carbon.
• Materials and construction: Where possible, the structure uses sustainably sourced materials and was fabricated off-site. It was then floated down the river to be installed, reducing the reliance on heavy goods vehicles during construction.
• Future-proofing: The design accounted for the risks of future rising flood levels. The pontoon is also positioned in naturally deep waters to avoid dredging, minimising ongoing maintenance costs for the client as well as disruption to local marine life.
• Ecological considerations: The pontoon’s lighting, provided by specialists Candesce Lighting, is 80% more efficient than traditional alternatives with less overspill, reducing impacts on local ecology. The boardwalk’s timber screen reduces the impact of human activity on nearby wildlife occupying the mudflats.

Future foreshore

Beckett Rankine was appointed Principal Designer for the foreshore development works. The project will align the flood defences with the Thames Estuary 2100 Riverside Strategy, as well as improve public access to the river in an ecologically sensitive way.