Records and Archives » Gordon Cullen: a Docklands story

This year marks ten years since we acquired the archive of Gordon Cullen, an influential urban designer, draughtman and artist. His 1961 book, Townscape, has shaped city planning and architectural education worldwide.

Cullen’s legacy is shown through his drawings, theories, and writings, but only four of his designs were built: a school in St. Vincent, a village hall in Wraysbury, Quay West in the Isle of Dogs, and Swedish Quays in London’s Docklands. Among these, Swedish Quays is the most notable, receiving Grade II listed status in 2018.

Swedish Quays is located between Greenland Dock and South Dock and transforms a post-industrial area into a vibrant community. Developed in the mid-1980s, it focused on design-led regeneration that respects the site’s industrial history while creating a strong community identity.

The site’s history includes a grain terminal and a post-war warehouse. This development marked the beginning of a partnership between Gordon Cullen and David Price, which initiated their nine-year collaboration.

Commissioned by Roger Malcolm Ltd and guided by the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC), the project emphasised three main principles: unique identities for each home, extending living spaces outside through features like oriel windows, and exceeding typical space standards.

Swedish Quays reflects influences from Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Josef Olbrich. This resulted in a modern and expressive design that balances impressive spaces with practicality.

The development has 95 homes around two landscaped courtyards, linked by a central avenue. Housing options range from 350-square-foot flats to 2,500-square-foot family homes, fostering a diverse community.

One key feature is the sail-shaped roofs on the south side, which reflect the area’s maritime heritage, capture sunlight, and enhance indoor space with clerestory windows.

Swedish Quays also includes well-planned infrastructure, with 108 garages integrated into the landscape, centralised bin stores for efficient waste management, and landscaped gardens for social interaction and quiet spaces.

This project is part of Price and Cullen’s broader work in the 1980s, including similar urban planning efforts in places like Hermitage Basin and Cardiff Bay. While many of their plans were not built, they served as valuable guides for future developments.

Today, Swedish Quays demonstrates Cullen’s design philosophy, showing how history, community, and architecture can merge. It illustrates that neglected urban areas can become valuable, liveable spaces through creativity, respect for the past, and a commitment to quality.