Canada Wharf And Columbia Wharf, Including Former Engine House And Boiler To South

This complex comprises Canada Wharf and Columbia Wharf, with a former engine house and boiler room to the south, located in Rotherhithe Street, Southwark. The southern block, now called Columbia Wharf, was built in 1864, while Canada Wharf dates to 1870-71. The design is by James Edmeston.

Columbia Wharf is a four-storey building of yellow stock brick with polychrome dressings, although part is now rendered. It has 12 bays along the street, with giant pilasters defining the facade. The ground-floor openings have been altered and are segmental-headed; those above are segmental-pointed, flat-headed, and lozenge-shaped, with gauged red brick arches and polychrome dressings. The rear elevation overlooking the river is five storeys and 18 bays, with hatch ranks adapted into doors or canted bays. Adjoining the southeast is the two-storey former engine house and boiler room, featuring coupled windows with pointed and segmental-pointed arches to the river front. A two-bay porch has been added to the north return, featuring paired ground-floor openings with pointed arches, stone keys, and imposts, under a hipped slate roof.

Canada Wharf is a five-storey river block displaying Moorish influences, accentuated by giant buttresses and red brick string courses. Segmental, pointed, and flat-headed windows distinguish the different floor levels, with lozenge-shaped openings and polychrome dressings on the side elevations. Less elaborate four-storey buildings extend inland, with dormer windows in the slate roof and segmental, gauged-brick arched openings. The street elevation has been altered, featuring hatch ranks to the upper floors. The interior of Canada Wharf has been extensively rebuilt as part of a conversion into flats.

The ensemble was originally known as Canada Wharf and included a gabled range of presumed erecting shops, now demolished except for facades. Canada Wharf was notable as the first building to incorporate silos resting on an iron floor with ventilation shafts and a vacant space beneath, features that have since been removed. Columbia Wharf originally comprised four compartments, each containing 56 perforated iron boxes fitted to ventilation shafts.