The distinctive loop of the Thames that marks the eastern edge of Greenwich Peninsula is undergoing a striking cultural and architectural revival. Long associated with the O2 arena, formerly the Millennium Dome, this formerly industrial stretch is being reimagined as a lively new quarter of London centred on culture, leisure and creative life.
Knight Dragon, the master developer behind the regeneration, is delivering a comprehensive plan across 190 acres that will include homes, schools, shops and extensive public spaces. Their long-term vision aims to create a neighbourhood that balances residential life with arts, entertainment and leisure offerings designed for both residents and visitors.
The first residential buildings, featuring interiors by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio and architecture by SOM, are already under construction. I recently visited to preview the interiors and the wider public spaces and to get a sense of how the development is taking shape on the ground.
Tom Dixon’s interiors for the peninsula are cinematic in feel: elegant and luxurious but with a raw, noir-inspired edge that responds to the industrial history of the site. The penthouse I viewed had a dramatic atmosphere that many visitors described as evocative and theatrical—one social media comment summed it up with the playful line, “Just add whisky.”
Dixon’s involvement goes beyond individual apartments. The studio contributed to the broader place-making strategy, helping shape elements of the public realm including park spaces and pavilion concepts. That strategic engagement gives the interiors a strong relationship to the surrounding urban fabric.
Material choices are distinctly British: copper, brick and enamel—echoing the materials used in London Underground signage—appear alongside leather, timber, marble and dichroic glass. The compositions are bold and sculptural, with layered approaches to color and transparency that add depth and character to each space.
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“The shapes are expressive and the materials used in a generous quantity. I want to make interiors that can be enjoyed for a couple of generations at least.”
What stands out about the peninsula project is the consistency of its design vision and the quality of the teams involved. The approach feels purposeful and curated rather than the result of competing committees. That clarity is evident not only in the residential architecture but in the cultural projects taking root alongside it.
Several new venues have already opened, contributing to the peninsula’s evolving cultural identity. These include a restaurant by Tom Dixon and chef Stevie Parle, a riverside wine venue at the peninsula’s golf range, and a print studio producing limited edition works by contemporary artists. The NOW Gallery, set within gardens conceived by Tom Dixon’s studio and landscaped by specialist gardeners, presents commissions from both established and emerging artists and designers, adding year-round cultural programming to the area.
As part of wider arts programming, an ambitious large-scale sculpture by Alex Chinneck was scheduled to be installed on the skyline during a recent design festival. Commissioned in collaboration with the developer and the festival organisers, the work was intended to acknowledge the site’s industrial past while signalling the scale of the transformation now in progress.
This mix of architecture, art and hospitality is beginning to give the peninsula a layered character: a place where carefully designed homes sit alongside dynamic cultural venues and thoughtfully landscaped public spaces. The result is an emerging district that feels both rooted in place and forward-looking.
Above: clockwise from top
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Ravensbourne College, a notable architectural presence on the peninsula.
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A wide selection of wines available at the peninsula’s riverside wine venue.
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‘A Slice of Reality’ by Richard Wilson, a dramatic sliced section of a sand dredger.
Studio spaces and creative workshops have taken root on the peninsula, hosting print studios and makers alongside large-scale sculptural projects. These creative activities help animate the waterfront and provide cultural anchors for the growing neighbourhood.
Immersive theatre and pop-up events also contribute to the peninsula’s cultural program, introducing a playful and experimental spirit that complements the more permanent institutions and venues.
Dining options reflect the peninsula’s emphasis on local and seasonal produce. A restaurant collaboration between a notable chef and a design studio focuses on British ingredients, some sourced from an adjacent kitchen garden, and pairs food with a well curated selection of wines.
Clockwise from top:
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Anthony Gormley’s Quantum Cloud rising near the Emirates Air Line cable car.
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A hand-stitched glass bead installation by an emerging designer at a local gallery.
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Evening light over the Thames, an atmospheric backdrop to the peninsula’s transformation.
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The Tom Dixon designed apartments at Greenwich Peninsula are offered through specialist residential outlets.
With thanks to the developers and project teams for hosting the visit.
Photography by Design Hunter.