Trinity Buoy Wharf

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Bow Creek Lighthouse at Trinity Buoy Wharf

Trinity Buoy Wharf is the site of London's only lighthouse, on the banks of the River Thames and near Leamouth and Bow Creek. The lighthouse does not function now, and is the home of various art projects such as Longplayer. It is sometimes known as Bow Creek Lighthouse.

The lighthouse was designed as one of a pair in 1863 and built in 1864-6 by James Douglass for Trinity House. It was used for lighting trials for Trinity House's lights around England & Wales. Michael Faraday also carried out experiments there. The other lighthouse of the pair survived until the 1920s.

In 1988, the area was acquried by the London Docklands Development Corporation. In 1998 Urban Space Holdings Ltd took control of the site on a long lease. The site has been, and continues to be, developed as "a center for the arts and cultural activities". Enhancements include studio space (including unusual architecture based on used shipping containers) and exhibition space.

Urban Space Holdings have used the area to develop 'Container City'[1] in 2001, a studio and office complex made from recycled sea shipping containers. The original project was made from 80% recycled material. Container City 1 took 5 months to complete, with an amazing 4 days to install! The Container City project proved very popular and in 2002 Container City 2 was completed delivering a further 22 studios across 5 floors in a with a brightly coloured ziggurat design. A further extention to the Container City Complex was the 'Riverside Building' located next to the Thames and apposite the Dome. This was yet another architectural design providing an additional 22 studio spaces.