Tower Bridge Restaurant

The project for a restaurant at Portland Wharf, at the south end of Tower Bridge, echoes the lightweight, minimal approach taken by Squire and Partners in the design of the visitor facilities for the bridge.

The new building forms an elegant counterpoise to the ornate bulk of the Victorian structure. By placing the restaurant on two levels, with a bar at the lower level, public access to the riverside is continued, with a new square providing excellent views of the bridge and the river. The restaurant itself is canted out to make best use of views along the Thames.

The restaurant is conceived as a simple glazed box, with frameless glazing in a solid stone frame, hung off the flight of stone stairs which runs down from bridge level and provides a much improved pedestrian access to the Butler’s Wharf area.