Royal Albert Dock, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Albert Dock |
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University of East London Docklands Campus, on the Royal Albert Dock
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| Location | London |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architect | Sir Alexander Rendel |
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The Royal Albert Dock is a large dock in East London, United Kingdom. It's one of three docks that make up the Royal Docks. Docks are places where ships load and unload goods.
Contents
The Dock's Story: From Busy Port to Modern Hub
How the Dock Was Built
The Royal Albert Dock was designed by a clever engineer named Sir Alexander Rendel. It was built to make the nearby Victoria Dock even bigger. Construction was handled by a company called Lucas and Aird. The dock was finished in 1880.
Right next to the dock, there were also special areas built for repairing ships. These included two "dry docks" and workshops.
Why the Dock Changed Over Time
Starting in the 1960s, the Royal Albert Dock became less busy. This happened to all the docks in London. Ships started using large metal boxes called "containers" to carry goods. This meant that bigger ships were needed, and they often went to ports further away, like Tilbury.
Because of these changes, the Royal Albert Dock stopped being used for big commercial ships in 1981.
New Life for the Dock Area
Even though the dock closed for shipping, new and exciting things were built there:
- London City Airport: This airport was built on the south side of the dock. It opened in 1987 and has one runway.
- University of East London: The University of East London Docklands Campus opened in 1999. It's on the north side of the dock.
- London Regatta Centre: This center for rowing and water sports opened in 2000. It's also on the north side.
- Building 1000: A large building called "Building 1000" was finished in 2004.
Recent Plans and Changes
Big Plans for a Business Hub
In 2013, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced a huge plan for the Royal Albert Dock. The idea was to create a new business area. It was hoped to bring in lots of money and create over 20,000 jobs. A company from Shanghai, China, called ABP, was chosen to develop it.
Boris Johnson even called a main road in the area "Mandarin Street" to welcome Chinese businesses. Construction officially began in 2017. The first part of the project was finished in 2018. It included many office buildings and shops.
Challenges and New Ideas
By 2022, the business park wasn't as successful as hoped. Many of the buildings were empty. It even became a popular place for filming movies because it was so quiet!
However, new plans are now in motion. In 2022, a company called PwC took over the project. In 2024, it was announced that some of the buildings would be turned into homes for students. Other buildings will be used for offices, research, healthcare, and education. This means the Royal Albert Dock area is still changing and growing!
