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London’s Docklands were once our gateway to the world. Built between the 1850s and 1920s the Royal Docks fuelled our international trade and brought wealth to the country. As ships grew, much of this ocean-going trade moved to docks further East along the Thames, and air travel developed to the West at Heathrow.

Whilst much of the transport infrastructure might have moved, what has been left is a stunning legacy of industrial architecture, as well as huge opportunities for the architects of today to reflect on our past identiy as they shape vast new parts of the city.