8 Harbord Square Archives

February 22, 2025February 22, 2025

Awe London set to open luxury nail salon at 8 Harbord Square

Kamden Monplaisir is set to bring her business to Canary Wharf, the realisation of a dream to launch a branch of her beauty brand on the estate

Awe London founder Kamden Monplaisir - image Jon Massey — Awe London founder Kamden Monplaisir – image Jon Massey

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

“When I was a lot younger, I had an obsession with Canary Wharf,” said Kamden Monplaisir.

“Aged nine, my mum brought me to the estate, because she’d noticed I had a major interest in numbers, money and counting – maths was always my strongest subject in school.

“I was inspired by the suits and the culture – it felt like a different world when you stepped into it.

“As a child, I’d never seen anything like it.

“Later, I only applied for jobs I could get here”

Kamden, who grew up not far away in Bow, founded creative nail bar business Awe London in 2019.

Soon she’s set to expand her operation to 8 Harbord Square in Wood Wharf as one of a cohort of independent business launching in its commercial units over the coming weeks and months.

“When I was starting out, I used to work at Aquascutum in Canary Wharf, but the company went into administration,” she said.

“That’s when I moved on to Burberry.

I have a degree in international finance and I was working for their corporate finance division.

“After pursuing that for about five years, I decided I wanted to start my own business – The Esther Academy – an organisation working with young women to support, inspire and nurture them in their future endeavours.

“That continued until the pandemic hit and business died down. I already had other things going on creativity-wise and I started Awe London in 2019.

“I’m also a mum and about to be again, which is a big pride and joy of mine and just as important as my entrepreneurial life.”

The business Kamden’s running now was born out of need – a desire to offer a better service than what she’d experienced.

Nail art by Awe London - image by Awe London / @awelondon on Insta — Nail art by Awe London – image by Awe London / @awelondon on Insta

founding the brand

“I’ve always been obsessed with getting my nails done,” she said.

“But I felt disappointed by the salons I was going to compared with my expectations.

“I’d visited businesses in the West End – the prices were three times as much, but it was a different atmosphere and I wondered why that couldn’t be available in other places.

“When you go to a spa, you want to experience that ‘wow’ moment, but many nails salons in the UK were just about getting in and getting out – I wanted to change that.

“Our first branch was in South Woodford and we were there for about four years.

“It was a beautiful community to work in as a residential area.

“Then my ambitious side set me wondering how I was going to grow this business more, which had been quite difficult in such a small area.

“We were popular on social media and I noticed that a lot of my clients were coming from London for our services, so I packed up and moved to Shoreditch.

“It was a tough decision because I knew we’d lose some clients but it was a great move and many of our customers travel in to see us there.

“The new location gave us more exposure and we were able to cater for tourists, commuters and residents.

“There was a much bigger footfall and more of a lively vibe and we’ve achieved what we wanted to, which is amazing.”

As thoughts of further expansion emerged, the stars aligned to bring Kamden’s twin obsessions – Canary Wharf and creative nails – together.

It made the decision to say yes to Canary Wharf Group’s team an easy one.

“I was contacted by them while they were looking out for small east London businesses that might be interested in a second location,” she said.

“It came at the perfect time.

“I’d built the team and the infrastructure and I had just started thinking about growth and that suggestion really tapped into my love for the Wharf.

“When I was considering areas, Canary Wharf had always seemed like a dream – when I walked through the malls, I always thought it would be great to be here.

“Then, this new opportunity at 8 Harbord Square made that a bit more attainable so I pursued the opportunity and around seven months later we had the keys.”

8 Harbord Square is set to be home to a collection of independent businesses including Awe London – image by Jon Massey

the difference at Awe London

For Kamden and her team, success is all built on the customers experience – the key reason her clients keep coming back to indulge in Awe London’s extensive range of services.

“It’s about the care you get from our people,” said Kamden.

“If you come to us we’ll always aim to brighten up your day.

“At Canary Wharf, clients will come to Awe London, feel relaxed and enjoy lovely beverages – getting your nails done should never feel like a chore.

“Some customers get a treatment because they need to look their best for an event or to maintain their appearance, but here we also want them to enjoy the process.

“It is a luxury and we want people to feel they are having a good time while they are with us.

“One of the things I’ve fallen in love with about Canary Wharf as it has changed is the community aspect to the estate.

“There are opportunities to network and to meet loads of people. We’re offering a service, of course, but we also want to build our client base.

“In our businesses, we have the opportunity to build a rapport with our customers and learn about their lives.

“In some cases we see them going from their first job, the next step in their career, marriage, a new house and beyond.

“That’s really lovely.

“I’m so excited for the future and what can come from this opening.

“The exposure we got from Shoreditch was good, but this will be a new level of opportunity for us.

“This kind of project to support small businesses is unusual.

“It’s tough for small companies to break through but being in an area alongside big brands and having the chance is great and I’m so grateful for it.

“We’re really looking forward to opening.”

While Awe London’s Canary Wharf branch will be an extension of Kamden’s brand, she said the new nail salon had been designed to have its own personality to reflect the area it would be operating in.

“I like each salon to look like and represent a bit of the place it’s in, so none of them are exactly the same,” she said.

“You’ll know it’s an Awe London salon, but I wanted the contemporary feel of Harbord Square to be present when people walk in.

“I saw the brickwork, the appearance of the apartments upstairs and thought: ‘this is me – modern, contemporary, with an industrial feel, but also with a bit of plush velvet, beautiful smells, flowers and the feminine touch.”

looking to the future

As for further expansion, Kamden has big plans and a model she feels is ready to grow.

“There can be a bit of apprehension when you expand – we’ll have double the number of staff with this opening, but I’m not afraid,” she said.

“We’ve built really strong infrastructure in the business and I’m excited to work with new people.

“Running businesses isn’t how I thought it would be at all.

“I hoped I’d become rich, go on holiday every other month – all glitz and glamour.

“I didn’t understand the magnitude of it or the hard work you need to do.

“But I’ve got a great support system in place, a great family and I’m a woman of faith.

“That all helps manage the stress.

“I take time out for myself – you have to believe in balance if you don’t want it to completely take over your life.

“If I could go back with some advice I’d tell myself to relax – to remember that I was built to do this and that I can get over any hurdle that comes my way and to have faith that the plans I’ve made will work out.

“In the future, I’d love to expand Awe London globally and partner up with people all over the world. You have to have passion to grow a boutique nail salon.

key details: Awe London

Awe London offers a wide range of manicure and pedicure services.

Follow the brand’s Instagram @awelondon or check its website for Canary Wharf opening details.

Canary Wharf Group is supporting a number of independent east London businesses to open in the commercial units at 8 Harbord Square on Wood Wharf.

Also confirmed are salon Wayne Hairdresser and florist and plant shop The Flower Club.

Discover more about the 8 Harbord Square project here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

February 5, 2025February 5, 2025

8 Harbord Square prepares to welcome businesses to Wood Wharf

Canary Wharf building will see independent companies given space and support as neighbourhood opens up to visitors and residents

Canary Wharf Group senior retail leasing surveyor, George Chapman

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Look to the east.

Over the coming weeks and months, Harbord Square – recently connected to the rest of Wood Wharf by the opening of the snowdrop-laced gardens and benches of Union Square – will be welcoming an influx of independent businesses for Wharfers to discover.

“We knew that with this link in place, people would be able to walk down to the area from Canary Wharf and through Wood Wharf, so we’ve been looking at how we could make it a real destination,” said George Chapman, senior retail leasing surveyor at Canary Wharf Group.

“With 10 retail units, we thought we’d start with 8 Harbord Square which, I must admit, is my favourite building over there with its fully open-plan apartments.

“It’s just stunning.”

However, rather than simply open up those spaces to all-comers, George and the team decided to take a different approach.

8 Harbord Square, right, is set to be home to 10 businesses on its lower levels

an expansion of cool: 8 Harbord Square

“Wood Wharf is already really cool – you have the likes of coffee shop 640East, Dishoom, Mallow and many more,” he said.

“With 8 Harbord Square, we wanted to create a community vibe.

“There’s so much talent in Tower Hamlets, just outside Canary Wharf – we thought it would be great to bring some of that in.

“In the past, local operators might have wanted to open a business on the estate but may have been unsure how to do it.

“The larger units can seem daunting, so we’ve simplified the leases with these to get the best local companies in and help build the neighbourhood.

“We’ve partnered with Tower Hamlets and gone out to local residents and businesses and have a number of tenants lined up – we wanted best-in-class operators, with a nail bar, a hair salon, a flower shop and a juice bar coming.

“We’ve helped the operators who need it apply for alcohol licences to make the process as smooth as possible.

“I can’t wait for all the tenants to move in and start trading.”

Canary Wharf Group has worked hard to attract independent businesses to the building

a new dimension at 8 Harbord Square

The arrivals will certainly bring a new dimension to Harbord Square.

“The area is already home to a GP surgery, a convenience store, a vet and a multi-purpose sports hall, but the new street level offering will broaden its appeal and include places for Wharfers to hang out.

It’s also a part of Wood Wharf that’s set to see much residential change both in the short and medium term, with aparthotel Vertus Edit’s launch earlier this month offering extended flexible stays.

More rental homes to the south of the square are coming in the not so distant future.

With units ranging in size from 235sq ft to 786sq ft on five-year leases, the new commercial tenants at 8 Harbord Square will benefit from Canary Wharf Group’s ongoing support as more and more people visit and discover the area.

Union Square's opening now allows Wharfers to easily walk to 8 Harbord Square — Union Square’s opening now allows Wharfers to easily walk to 8 Harbord Square

scouring the borough

For George, it’s about creating a buzz to delight those living and staying locally.

To that end, the team scoured social media and hit the streets locally to find top operators that would be suitable for the project.

“There’s times where I’ve simply gone out for a coffee and found a place, then had a conversation about bringing a business to the estate,” he said.

“We’ve also had direct approaches.

“This is the first time we’ve done this as a business, but I’m of the view that if it’s successful, then we’d look to roll it out in other locations.

“I’d like to walk down to 8 Harbord Square in two years’ time and see the tenants happily trading in a place where everyone knows each other, that has a bit of an old East End feel to it and people look out for one another.

“That would be perfect.

“As other buildings welcome residents around 8 Harbord Square, there will be even more people coming to this part of the Wharf.

“If I was staying in a studio at Vertus Edit, I’d love that just downstairs there’s a buzzy salon and a juice bar with a running club.

“These amenities will help people meet each other and make for an area visitors and residents really love.

“It’s what we want – a place for the community with people walking their dogs and taking their kids to the park.

“The tenants at 8 Harbord Square will all be a part of that.”

the pull of the Wharf

The mission to bring talent into Canary Wharf – with many not realising what opportunities the area might hold for them – isn’t dissimilar to George’s own story.

While he couldn’t see its towers directly growing up in west London, they nevertheless exerted an irresistible pull.

“I’ve been working here for nearly eight years, having started as a finance apprentice at Canary Wharf Group’s tech community, Level39,” he said.

“I did my professional qualifications there and, after about two years, joined the accountancy department.

“Then an opportunity came up to move across to the investment team and from there I was working on the retail side of the business a lot.

“I got the chance to work alongside the retail team and I thought it was something I’d love to do, so I’ve now been there about three years.

“Growing up, I was always seeing Canary Wharf in the news and I remember thinking I’d love to work among the towers one day – there was a real excitement around it.

“I had my interview for the apprenticeship and then phoned my dad who’s a black cab driver.

“He told me to go to one of the bars on the estate and soak up the energy.

“It was on a Thursday and I did exactly that. That’s when I knew I’d really like to work in Canary Wharf.

“It’s been worth crossing the line from west to east London and it’s still definitely where I want to be.

“Numbers and accountancy are very important – fine in moderation – but I get a real kick out of meeting people on a day-to-day basis in my current role. It’s a lot more personal.

“It’s such a privilege to get to know people, to find out why they get up in the morning and what makes them tick. You don’t get that same buzz from a spreadsheet.”

Full details of the businesses opening up at 8 Harbord Square will be released in due course.

However, we can reveal they will include nail specialist Awe London, hair salon Wayne Hairdresser and flower and plant retailer The Flower Club.

There will also be a hospitality offering, or two. Watch these spaces

key details: 8 Harbord Square

You’ll be able to find out more about 8 Harbord Square and the businesses that will soon call it home online.
Looking to stay locally? Vertus Edit opened this month with prices starting at £133 per night for a Little studio accommodating up to two people.
The largest, Roomy apartments, start at £183 for up to two guests.
Vertus also offers apartments for rent across Canary Wharf.

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

June 18, 2024June 18, 2024

The Upper Lofts are unveiled at Canary Wharf’s 8 Harbord Square

Open-plan, top-floor apartments go on sale at New York-inspired Wood Wharf residential building

Image shows the view from a terrace at 8 Harbord Square, overlooking The O2 and Greenwich Peninsula — The Upper Lofts sit on the top floor of 8 Harbord Square

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

The residential properties contained on the lower levels of 8 Harbord Square are a brave, bold statement.

Presented almost completely open-plan (you do get walled off bathrooms), they recall Docklands’ warehouses with more than a nod, stylistically, to the red-brick structures of New York’s Meatpacking District.

But while the flavour is of industrial buildings cleverly converted for residential use, the 11-storey tower is newly built, meaning it comes with none of the hassle or dodgy bodges that can plague refurbishment projects.

Instead, the exposed concrete ceilings, black metal framed windows and cast iron radiators are all carefully thought-through design statements contained within a thoroughly modern structure.

Image shows a space dressed with a green sofa, marble table and various green and blue soft furnishings — The apartments offer a completely open-plan design with industrial details

Capping the whole thing off, developer Canary Wharf Group has now launched a pair of apartments on the building’s top floor.

The Upper Lofts, both priced at £1,950,000, feature internal living space of 1,400sq ft and feature wrap-around terraces of more than 1,000 sq ft.

Properties feature fully-fitted kitchens with stainless steel units and counter tops as well as Siemens appliances.

Bathrooms come with free standing baths, double basins and black-framed, walk-in showers.

Image shows a stainless steel kitchen in one of The Upper Lofts at 8 Harbord Sqaure with a marble table and breakfast bar in the foreground — The 8 Harbord Square homes come with fully fitted stainless steel kitchens

a singular offering at 8 Harbord Square

Canary Wharf Group director of residential sales, Melanie Conway, said: “The expression ‘one-of-a-kind’ is sometimes overused, but in this instance, The Upper Lofts represent ‘two-of-a-kind’ apartments not seen before in London.

“Their positioning within 8 Harbord Square and the wider Canary Wharf estate gives them views of iconic surrounding landmarks, which previously you would only have seen from some of our tallest residential buildings.

“With vast wrap-around terraces and totally open plan living spaces, they have been designed to take advantage of these views and the natural light that floods the spaces, giving residents the most incredible sunrises and sunsets.

“8 Harbord Square marks the final building in our residential portfolio on the estate, meaning it’s the last opportunity to own a piece of the Wharf’s rich history and to be a part of the incredible transformation that has taken place here.”

Image shows chairs and coffee tables in The Upper Lofts show apartment — Residents are free to configure and dress their apartment however they like

an emerging neighbourhood

Part of Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf development, 8 Harbord Square is the final building in Canary Wharf Group’s scheme to feature homes for private sale.

Further residential projects will fall under its wholly-owned subsidiary Vertus, which boasts an extensive portfolio of homes to live in via all-inclusive rental deals.

Wood Wharf itself is rapidly becoming established as an area to visit with restaurants such as Dishoom, Hawksmoor, MMy Wood Wharf, Emilia’s Crafted Pasta and Roe attracting a steady stream of visitors.

Third Space recently opened a new site locally, adding Hot Yoga, Reformer Pilates and a new 20m swimming pool to its Canary Wharf offering, while creative companies such as Qube, Vow Studio and Broadwick also now call the neighbourhood home.

The Cube, a competitive socialising experience is set to open nearby, while Harbord Square itself now boasts a vet, GP surgery, convenience store and a sports hall and gym complex for residents to investigate.

Image shows a terrace at 8 Harbord Square with views of the Canary Wharf skyline in the background — The Upper Lofts feature wrap-around terraces with views over London

key details – 8 Harbord Square

The Upper Lofts at 8 Harbord Square are both priced at £1,950,000.

Other properties in the 82-apartment building start at £770,000 for an 801sq ft home or £990,000 for 1,037sq ft.

Find out more about The Upper Lofts here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

September 19, 2023September 19, 2023

Canary Wharf: How NYC is coming to Wood Wharf as 8 Harbord Square homes launch

New York takeover will see estate carpeted with americana, offers and pop-ups to mark occasion

The launch of 8 Harbord Square will see a four-day New York City takeover of Wood Wharf arrive in Canary Wharf

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

New York City looms large in the imagination. It’s the smooth vocals of Alicia Keys on Empire State Of Mind, yellow taxis and the splash of water over Carrie Bradshaw.

It’s impossibly tall skyscrapers, hip-hop, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Jules Munshin playing over-excited sailors in On The Town.

It’s Central Park, Central Perk and the Ghostbusters piloting the Statue Of Liberty through Fifth Avenue.

Countless heroes and villains in every kind of drama have made it their home in literature, on stage and across screens big and small.

Often those characters are portrayed living in loft apartments – open spaces with high ceilings and large windows, typically featuring exposed brickwork and concrete, hinting at former lives as offices or places of industry.

London too has had a flush of such properties – albeit on a smaller scale – with warehouses, usually along the Thames, converted.

Many have that NYC-feel, with original features celebrated amid the sleek worktops of fitted kitchens and cleverly cantilevered mezzanines. They are now, however, few and far between for enthusiastic buyers.

Homes at 8 Harbord Square are completely open-plan in the style of New York lofts

That’s where 8 Harbord Square comes in.

It’s styled by Karakusevic Carson Architects as a brick-built structure that wouldn’t look out of place in New York’s meatpacking district – a chunk of the city that became a hotbed of fashion design, culture, dining and residential property in the 1990s and 2000s.

Its story – of industrial decline followed by regeneration – is not dissimilar to Canary Wharf’s.

The difference here, of course, is that 8 Harbord Square is newly built, with none of the potential problems of an industrial conversion but all of the style of a chic, period loft.

“There are 82 apartments in total, spread over 12 storeys and they are very different to anything that we’ve ever built or sold before,” said Melanie Conway, director of residential sales at Canary Wharf Group.

“We’ve stripped everything back, so there’s exposed brickwork and concrete ceilings – the decor is very raw – with huge Crittall windows to let lots of light in.

“There’s a real openness to the lofts.

“They are very unusual – buyers are used to seeing apartments with bedrooms and living spaces laid out.

“Here, it’s very much up to the buyer how they want to live in them.”

The majority of the building’s floors – excluding the penthouses which have already sold – are split into eight apartments in two configurations.

The Prospect Lofts are just over 800sq ft of open-plan, undivided space.

Each comes with a fully-fitted kitchen in stainless steel, with Siemens appliances including a built-in washer-dryer.

Heating comes from cast iron radiators arranged along the walls, while ceiling fans provide air circulation throughout.

The only walls are around the bathroom, which includes a black-framed shower cubicle, a free-standing bath and double sinks.

These properties are single aspect and are located in the centre of the building.

The Gramercy Lofts are similar in every respect, except that they extend to a little over 1,000sq ft and are arranged on the four corners of each floor with twice as many windows.

“We’ve been holding off on a big launch until the building is nearly finished, because the best way for buyers to understand these spaces is to walk into them,” said Melanie.

“We’re expecting people to be able to move in by the end of the year.

The building has been styled to echo properties in NYC’s meatpacking district

“It’s been very interesting to see who has bought here already – it’s a real mix from young couples to downsizers who love the warehouse style, and even students.

“It’s a design that appeals to lots of different people because you can move everything around.

“We could have dropped the ceilings and put in walls to create a typical layout, but we wanted to keep everything real.

“There’s not much decoration to be done and very little maintenance as there’s hardly any wall space that needs painting.

“The properties will also stand the test of time from a design-point of view – they won’t date.

“People buying here might be looking at older warehouses, but 8 Harbord Square is newly built so there won’t be unexpected leaks or any issues like that.

“They’re also really well insulated because they have been designed as homes. They are new, but also really cool.

“They’re very tranquil too, overlooking Harbord Square Park – an oasis of calm away from the bustle.”

Following the completion of two show apartments at the scheme, Canary Wharf Group is marking the occasion with a New York-style takeover of the whole of Wood Wharf.

The event runs for four days from September 20-23, 2023, with offers, pop-ups and installations.

V– SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE FOR A SELECTION OF OFFERS – V

“Wood Wharf feels very much like the residential district of Canary Wharf and, with 8 Harbord Square offering warehouse-style living, the takeover seemed like a great way to promote the building,” said Melanie.

“New York sits very well alongside the buildings here and on the estate as a whole.

“Right now it’s about awareness and it’s also an opportunity for people to discover what it’s like to live here.

“From the moment people leave one of our stations, the whole estate is managed by Canary Wharf Group.

The Prospect is the smaller of the two layouts stretching to 800sq ft

“There’s also security on site, 24-hours a day and a high level of cleanliness and service across the estate.

“Well known as a commercial area, for us it’s about communicating how much the Wharf has changed even since work began on Wood Wharf in 2015.

“People are now investing their time and money into coming to the estate as a leisure destination – the shops, the bars, the restaurants and so on.

“The transport is fantastic and, while people were initially buying here because they worked locally, we’re now seeing them make their home here and work elsewhere.

“People just love it.”

Show apartments at 8 Harbord Square are now available to view with prices for a Prospect apartment starting at £770,000.

For more information go to canarywharf.com/residential or email residential.sales@canarywharf.com

Patty & Bun will be serving up its Classic American burger with a free cocktail for the takeover

AMERICANA ON THE WHARF

Mini Manhattan – that’s what they call the Isle Of Dogs – so what’s this takeover all about, anyways?

Wood Wharf is set to be transformed into the Big Apple for four days from September 20-23, 2023.

Running 11am-7pm, expect big yellow taxis, break dancers, chess tables in Harbord Square, a subway station and an authentic US school bus serving up hot dogs and pizza by the slice.

Have a nice day now.

In addition to the various special events that will be taking place over the four days, many of Wood Wharf’s businesses will be getting involved with the takeover, adding further layers to the immersive experience. Here are the deals to look out for:

Free Manhattan cocktail

Head down to the corner of Water Street and Park Drive, where Mallow will be adding a very special item to its entirely plant-based menu for the duration of the takeover.

Order its French Dip – featuring portobello mushrooms, caramelised red onion, horseradish cream, red wine jus and butter pickles – for £15 and you’ll receive a Chocolate Cherry Pie Manhattan for free to go with it.

The cocktail is made with Bourbon, Mozart dark chocolate liqueur, sour cherry molasses and bitters – for a potent take on a New York classic – and costs £9 on its own.

Mallow will have a French Dip on the menu with a free Chocolate Cherry Pie cocktail over the four days

Fresh gelato and cawfee

Downtown on George Street, visitors will find American flags draped over statues outside MMy Wood Wharf, which inside will be serving piccolo gelato cups with a single espresso for £5 during the takeover.

Mac ’n’ cheese will also be available, as will American craft beers including east coast brew Good Vibrations by NEPA for £7.90 per pint.

NYC flavours

Water Street’s Feels Like June is becoming Feels Like Brooklyn for the duration of the takeover and will be serving up NYC Bagels with pastrami, emmental cheese, pickles and mustard for £7 or with chives and cream cheese for £6.

The venue will also be hosting sets from its resident DJ from 4pm-9pm over the four days.

Free New York Sour

Order up the Classic American for £13 at Patty & Bun on Park Drive and customers will get either a free NY Sour or a can of Coca Cola with their burger.

Hawksmoor is serving three of the best sellers from its actual New York restaurant until Sept 24

Cocktails for £10 each + a free one

Drawing on inspiration from its actual New York branch, Hawksmoor and its bar The Lowback will be offering a trio of the best drinks available at its US location for the special price of £10 each.

So that’s the Manhattans, Cosmos and Dirty Martinis sorted.

But wait, there’s more.

The venues will also welcome tables of up to four guests with a complimentary Big Apple Martini for all diners at lunch or dinner.

Bookings should be made via email to thelowback@thehawksmoor.com quoting NYC x Canary Wharf. Better still, both offers will be available until September 24, 2023 – an extra day after the takeover ends.

Gelato pop-up

George Street restaurant Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is set to step outside its walls with a special pop-up throughout the takeover.

The venue’s gelato cart promises to serve up 100% Italian ice cream – one scoop for £4.50 and two for £6 in either waffle cones or paper cups.

Visitors can expect to choose from creamy mascarpone, Sicillian pistachio, raspberry sorbet and chocolate and hazelnut. There may even be a few bonus surprises from the staff.

Malin+Goetz

The skincare, haircare, fragrance, candle and gift brand will be taking over a corner of Wood Wharf for the NYC event.

Founded in Chelsea (New York City) in 2004, the company aims to create products that will work with all skin types, growing and expanding over the years to meet demand.

For the takeover, its portable cart will be offering samples and cards offering discounts at its Canary Wharf store in Cabot Place. Naturally, terms and conditions apply.

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 18, 2021

Canary Wharf: Open-plan homes launched at Wood Wharf’s 8 Harbord Square

Canary Wharf Group unveils warehouse-style properties packed with industrial features

The show home has been dressed to show the space’s potential

Subscribe to Wharf Life’s weekly newsletter here

Through the detective novels of country singer, writer, sometime politician and fictitious amateur sleuth Kinky Friedman, I first developed a desire to live in a loft.

The Texan’s austere space shared only with a cat and dressed with a vintage espresso machine, a plaster bust of Sherlock Holmes filled with cigars and two red telephones on a desk connected to the same line to give incoming calls a greater sense of importance, struck me as aspirational.

I even found myself making a pilgrimage to Vandam Street on a visit to New York to see the supposed site of the character’s residence – a little like fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle travel to Baker Street to stroke the foot of Holmes’ statue.

Turn on the TV, watch something American and, you’ll often find the main character living in a raw industrial space with plenty of light streaming in to illuminate exposed brickwork, bare concrete and bold art – the sort of place the supposed income from their job as a cop or a private eye would never actually support.

Cross the pond and, even in London, the dream seems unattainable. Brick-built warehouse properties don’t exactly pop up on the market very often.

Which is why the design of Canary Wharf Group’s latest collection of 82 properties for Wood Wharf is both clever and just a little bit breathtaking.

The first thing that hits you when you walk into the show apartment at 8 Harbord Square is the sheer size of it.

Buyers could choose to keep the whole apartment open-plan

More than 1,000sq ft of almost completely unbroken space stretches out from the door, dressed to show off the potential dual aspect styling of the Gramercy – the larger of the two types of loft on offer.

While the Prospect is smaller at just over 800sq ft and single aspect, it features the same bare brick and industrial radiator finish.

It also shares with its sibling the fact that the only fixed elements within are the bathroom and kitchen.

Everything else is up for grabs. Buyers can take the spaces as bare shells and fill them full of high-end furniture, art and retro curios or choose to divide the space with walls in a more conventional layout.

“This is a brand new concept for Canary Wharf and, as far as I know, in new-build developments over the last 20 years I’ve been working in the industry,” said Canary Wharf Group director of residential sales Brian De’ath.

“We’re creating a warehouse-style space and giving it over to truly open-plan living. The show apartment demonstrates that – there are no internal walls other than the ones dividing the bathroom off from the rest of the space.

“The way we’ve dressed it reflects one possible way of living in these apartments, but they lend themselves to a multitude of options.

“You could, for example, divide them up into three bedrooms or one bedroom with a study.

“We’ve created a suite of floorplans to help give people ideas as well as partnering with an interior designer who will also offer advice if that’s what buyers are looking for.

“With most new-build properties, those decisions have already been made by the developer – where a bedroom is located and what size it is.

“With these, people can absolutely configure their own space or leave it completely open.

“When the 82 apartments are finished, I hope I can walk into them and see 82 different ways of living in them.”

The bathroom and kitchen are the only two fixed features

Launched earlier this month, the apartments all feature Crittal-style windows, exposed brickwork, black ceiling fans, red pipework for the sprinkler system and black cast iron radiators.

Kitchens come in stainless steel with Siemens appliances, while bathrooms include freestanding baths, twin sinks and walk-in Crittal-style shower areas.

The feel is deliberately industrial with exposed electrical conduits and it’s all part of Canary Wharf Group’s plan to attract a certain kind of buyer.

“It’s not something anyone ever asks for,” said Brian. “But people have said they really like seeing how the building works.

“We wanted to create a diversity of product on the estate. We’ve completed our first apartments in 10 Park Drive and One Park Drive and they offer a fabulous way to live in Canary Wharf in a traditional style of home.

“We didn’t want to follow them up with another building in the same mould. We wanted to show another way to live here and to reach a demographic who perhaps hadn’t previously considered the estate as a place for them.

“What we have here is very different to everything else. It’s a real representation of everything you’d get living in a warehouse that was built 150 years ago – the high 2.9m ceilings, for example – but with all the modern conveniences of a new-build and the amenities of the whole of Canary Wharf within a 15 minute walk.

“We think these properties will really appeal to people who are design-savvy, who want to curate their life through the things that they own and live with. We haven’t tried to create a building that people say is ‘quite nice’. Buyers will either fall in love with it or it won’t be for them.

“We can see how popular true second-hand warehouse stock is in London – places such as West India Quay, Shad Thames, Clerkenwell and Shoreditch – such apartments in these places appear on the covers of interiors magazines.

“We think people who like those properties will also like these.”

Located in Wood Wharf, 8 Harbord Square will be adjacent to forthcoming shopping area The Lanes – an area intended to have the feel of Soho’s bustling streets and businesses. The 11-storey building will be finished in ornate red brickwork and tiles and sits next to Harbord Square park towards the eastern edge of Canary Wharf.

Prices start at £745,000 for a Prospect apartment.

Read e-editions of Wharf Life’s print edition here

Subscribe to Wharf Life’s weekly newsletter here