The new Blackfriars Pier replaces the previous pier moved to make way for Thames Tideway construction.  Neighbouring several iconic London monuments, the new pier is to the east of Blackfriars Bridge. An enlarged berthing space, better amenities and accessibility to the pier from the bridge were skilfully designed to fit into this prominent position on the river. 

The Blackfriars pier faces south towards Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge, and commands impressive views at this stretch of the river.  The brief identified the need for a simple and elegant solution to avoid competing for attention with its larger iconic neighbours, at the same time the design team recognised the need for a visually strong form to create a legible presence.

Arup’s integrated design approach took into consideration all of the components of the brief including access and circulation function, customer experience, marine environment, and City location, together with all the technical brief requirements, to develop a unified solution with simple elegance. It has been so successful that it is being considered as a prototype for future London piers.