Canary Wharf. Office blocks in the Isle of Dogs or Docklands area of London, Britain. At upper centre is the tower block at Canary Wharf. Standing at 312 metres, this skyscraper was the tallest office building in Europe at the time of its completion in 1991. It was designed by Cesar Pelli, the designer of the World Trade Centre in New York, USA. The building project was managed by American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The Isle of Dogs is an area in East London which is surrounded on three sides by the River Thames. It was once an important shipping area but, with the decline of this industry, office developments have begun to take over.