Canada Square Park, London E14

The centrepiece of the park, which is flanked on three sides by Canary Wharf Tower and the HSBC and Citigroup towers currently under construction, is a Ron Arad skylight known as "Big Blue". The skylight also performs a practical function, providing natural light to the underground shopping mall below.

The specification of sports-grade turf allows the park to be used for displays and a motorshow has already been held on the site. However, litterbins have not been installed because they are required to be bomb-proof in response to the potential security risk.

Lighting
Woodhouse UK

Turf
Inturf

Benches
Luke Hughes

Paving
Gormley

Deck-care products
A range of American deck-care products (wooden open air flooring) has been introduced to the UK by Geedon. The products include Seasonite New Wood Protection, which the maker says prevents splitting and warping; Net-Trol wood cleaner and colour restorer, which refreshes grey or dirty decking; Textrol Clear Wood Finish, an oil that forms a surface film and enhances the look of the wood; and Spa N Deck Penetrating Acrylic Finish, which offers UV resistance and protection.
Geedon

Anti-skid surface treatment
A polyurethane surface treatment, Traffigrip, has been developed by Hyperlast to coat steel, concrete or timber substrates with a hard-wearing, anti-skid surface. Treated surfaces are able to take traffic after two hours.Hyperlast

Urban street lighting
D&F Lighting has launched an urban street light called the Aprica. This fixture is available in a variety of colours and can be mast-arm or mast-top mounted and aimed in different directions, using a swivelling socket. The maker claims that the lamp's hook-on cover makes it easy to maintain.
D&F Lighting

Admixture for concrete
Fosroc's Conplast P211 admixture has been used to improve the compressive strength and durability of the concrete base that anchors the "Apocalypse" theme park ride at Drayton Manor in Tamworth. According to the company, the admixture provides a cost effective means of minimising concrete permeability, thereby reducing water penetration, and minimises segregation and bleeding. As it is chloride-free it can be used in pre-stressed and reinforced concrete.
Fosroc

Steel security posts
Langdon Kingsway's zinc-plated steel security posts are designed to provide secure parking for vehicles outside homes or businesses. The posts are available in heavy-duty, for domestic and light commercial purposes, and extra-heavy-duty for anti-ram raid applications. The posts have black and yellow markings and come with a durable padlock.
Landon Kingsway

Wastewater management
Site run-off can now be cleaned up before reaching the water table using the Downstream Defender from Hydro. The hydrodynamic vortex separator sits inside a manhole and removes grits, silts, oils and grease from water. It has no power requirements, is low maintenance and Hydro claims that it typically removes more than 90% of sediments. Near petrol stations, the unit can be used with the Hydro ISD Oil/Petrol Interceptor.
Hydro

Protective exterior paint
Johnstone's Stormshield Smooth Masonry Finish is a water-borne, acrylic-based resin paint designed to protect exterior concrete, brick, cement rendering and stone. Johnstone claims that the paint is particularly useful where weathering or pollution, such as exhaust fumes, are a problem. The paint can be applied by brush roller or spray and is touch dry after two hours.
Johnstone

Natural-looking surfacing
Naturatex is a surfacing material that is said to be durable enough to carry traffic but has a natural appearance. The Colourpave product has already been used in Manchester's Piccadilly gardens and the bus station waiting area as part of its regeneration for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Colourpave

External luminaire
A futuristic luminaire cast in steel, iron and aluminium has been launched by Modus. The Harpa has been designed to minimise light pollution using a curved cover to direct light downwards. It is available with one, two or three light fixtures and can be from 4 to 6 m high in a range of colours.
Modus

Safety surface for children's hospital
Architect Whicheloe Macfarlane MDP used RTC Safety Surfaces' standard EPDM surfacing for a playground at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. RTC's standard pattern sheet was used to make up inlaid shapes representing splashes, arrows, footprints and a hopscotch grid. This surface is said to be safe for children to fall onto from a height of 1.2 m.
RTC Safety Surfaces

Woodhouse park products
Woodhouse's Geo Bin and Pennant Cycle Rack have been used for the first time at London's Thames Barrier Park (pages 46-47). Bespoke versions of the company's timber seats and benches were used on the project as well as decorative railings for security purposes.

Lighting for the park was also supplied by Woodhouse and includes the company's column-mounted luminaries, Reflex Lanterns, and Script in-ground luminaires to wash light horizontally.
Woodhouse

Outdoor tiling grout
BAL's Superflex Wide Joint Grout is now available in sandstone and limestone colours for use with natural stone tiles in both outdoor and indoor applications. The cementitious powder grout is suitable for wall and floor tiles with joint widths of up to 20 mm and is, the manufacturer claims, water- and frost-resistant.
BAL