Canary Wharf Underground Station

The Jubilee Line extension is one of the greatest acts of architectural patronage of recent years, comprising eleven new stations by as many architects. Canary Wharf is by far the largest of these - when the development of the area is complete, the station will be used by more people at peak times than Oxford Circus, currently London s busiest underground destination. The station is built within the hollow of the former West India Dock using cut-and-cover construction techniques. At 300 metres in length, it is as long as Canary Wharf Tower is tall. The roof of the station is laid out as a leafy landscaped park, creating Canary Wharf s principal public recreation space. The only visible station elements are the swelling glass domes of the canopies that cover its three entrances.

Glowing with light at nighttime, by day these structures draw daylight deep into the station concourse. By concentrating natural light dramatically at these points, orientation is enhanced, minimising the need for directional signage. Twenty banks of escalators transport passengers in and out of the station. Administrative offices, kiosks and other amenities are sited along the flanks of the ticket hall, which leaves the main station volume free, creating a sense of clarity and calm. Due to the volume of station traffic, the guiding design principles were durability and ease of maintenance. The result is a simple palette of hardwearing materials: fairfaced concrete, stainless steel and glass. This robust aesthetic is most pronounced at platform level where the concrete diaphragm tunnel walls are left exposed.