Geography Trip

Geographers in Canary Wharf

A Level Geography students visited Canary Wharf to study its regeneration.

I

n October, A Level Geography students visited Canary Wharf to further understand the regeneration process undertaken in the late 1900s. Having studied the progression of this redevelopment in the classroom it was time for a field trip to see for ourselves the almost complete product.

Immediately on leaving Canary Wharf Station we were met with an array of majestic, high-rise buildings. Canary Wharf is now the secondary central business district of London (after the City of London). However, the contrast between this and the remains of the London Docklands was fascinating.

First, we visited Poplar, a short distance to the north of Canary Wharf’s towers. Poplar was a ‘new town’ in the 1830s, providing homes for dock workers, and is still undergoing regeneration. The rundown and fractured buildings were a stark contrast to sophisticated Canary Wharf. Nonetheless, we could see the sense of community was more significant in here than in the busy but ‘soulless’ Canary Wharf.

We then travelled to Canary Wharf. It was incredible to see the absolute divide between the two sites, from the people to the quality of housing and shops.

Finally, we visited The Museum of London Docklands to study the effect of the regeneration on the world of trade.

Overall, this trip was very thoughtprovoking and engaging and I realised how successful the regeneration task was at creating a world-leading financial hub.