Art & Culture
New public art inspired by the nature and wildlife of Royal Albert Wharf
A striking new piece of public art, inspired by the natural environment, has been unveiled in Royal Albert Wharf. Nature’s Design is a unique 50-metre mural featuring artwork created by pupils from Gallions Primary School and the local community.
The Royal Docks Team, in partnership with Notting Hill Genesis, commissioned the large-scale artwork that is now displayed on hoardings surrounding Gallions 3B, a flagship development site on Magellan Boulevard in Royal Albert Wharf. Wood Street Walls, an East London based art collective, in collaboration with artists, STATIC, worked with residents and local primary school pupils, to deliver a series of creative workshops, which inspired the mural’s vibrant design.
Participants took part in artist-led walks, identifying wildlife observed along the way and collecting foliage to create rubbings and cyanotypes - a form of photography that uses sunlight to create prints. Their beautiful creations are displayed on the panels and in the leaf motifs along the length of the mural. Look closely and you might also spot resident wildlife, including the Common Shelduck, Jersey tiger moths, Essex skipper butterflies and bees from the Bermondsey Street hives. The artists enhanced the design with patterns and other signature elements of their work to represent the water, waves and unique landscape of this emerging Royal Docks neighbourhood.
This mural embodies our ambitious public art strategy, which aims to provide a gallery without walls in the Royal Docks, unlocking space for artists, as well as residents, to express their stories, creativity and vision for the area.
Dan Bridge, Programme Director Royal Docks Team
The vast open spaces, immense waterscape and striking architecture of the Royal Docks provide a unique urban canvas for creative expression. The Royal Docks Cultural & Placemaking Strategy aims to build on the area’s rich heritage, putting local communities and artists at the heart of its vision to become London's Cultural Engine and providing young people with opportunities to explore their creativity.
Nature’s Design is a fantastic example of creatively reinterpreting hoarding space as public artwork. This mural embodies our ambitious public art strategy, which aims to provide a gallery without walls in the Royal Docks, unlocking space for artists, as well as residents, to express their stories, creativity and vision for the area. It is an exemplar of cultural placemaking, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to work together to reimagine and enhance our public spaces.
Dan Bridge, Programme Director Royal Docks Team
Rooted in our local Royal Albert Wharf (RAW) community, Nature’s Design created a platform for collaboration and co-creation, fostering a collective effort to elevate our public spaces. This mural exemplifies our bold approach to cultural placemaking and to ensuring our marketing strategies are inclusive of the people and places in the RAW community. By repurposing our hoarding, we have been able to unlock opportunities for artists and residents alike, encouraging expression of their narratives and aspirations for the place.
Sophie Trotman, Head of Place, Brand, Marketing & Comms at Notting Hill Genesis
Connecting students at Gallions Primary School and local residents to the strong biodiversity in and around the Royal Docks is one of the most important aspects of this public art commission. The participants of both workshops can see their own artwork reflected in this mural - it is a collaborative piece of work and provides a strong visual legacy that the community can be proud of.
Mark Clack, Co-Founder of Wood Street Walls
The printing workshop was really well explained and modelled and all the resources were provided. All the children thoroughly enjoyed it and went home feeling very proud of the artwork they had created.
Year 4 teacher, Iknur Sen
The mural covers a stretch of hoarding around the construction of Gallions 3B, led by Notting Hill Genesis and contractor Lovell Partnerships, which is due for completion in April 2025, providing 238 new homes. With funding from the Mayor’s Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme, this sixth and final phase of Royal Albert Wharf will deliver 76% affordable housing, including London Affordable Rent, London Living Rent and shared ownership. Notting Hill Genesis is also working with the Royal Docks Team on enhancements to the public realm, creating new play areas, improved walking and cycling routes and the revival of a scenic riverside pathway.
Nature’s Design
Artwork by STATIC in collaboration with Gallions Primary School and local residents.
Produced by Wood Street Walls, Contemporary Art Society & the Royal Docks Team.
Commissioned by the Royal Docks Team and Notting Hill Genesis
