This September, we took our annual Summer CPD event to the East End, guided by Ralph Ward. Ralph previously worked on the planning and development of the area for over twenty years. This was in various planning roles including Olympic planning and regeneration advisor for the DCLG as well as various roles, around Docklands working for the London Docklands Development Corporation.

To explore the enormous changes to the East End, we followed a strange but interesting path of the lost Channelsea River out of Stratford. Walking through the Lea Valley, we passed Joseph Bazalgette’s glorious ‘Cathedral of Sewage’ at Abbey Mills, a listed Victorian pumping station.

The route included the site of Cedric Price’s unbuilt 60’s Fun Palace, along the river and the historic tidal mills, at Three Mills. Through Poplar we could see controversial refurbishment works underway to the Ernő Goldfinger’s Balfron Tower. This was followed by the Festival of Britain Lansbury Estate, finishing the tour at Canary Wharf.

We also revisited some of BAP’s projects during the tour, as we have been responsible for the acoustic consultancy work for many of the large residential developments around Stratford and Docklands.

Photos by Tom Galikowski, Associate at BAP

Photos by Owen Doll, Senior Architectural Assistant at BAP