Shard London Bridge
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| Shard London Bridge | |
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| Information | |
|---|---|
| Location | 32 London Bridge Street |
| Status | Proposed |
| Roof | 306 metres (1,003 feet) |
| Technical Details | |
| Floor count | 82 |
| Floor area | 111,400.00 m² |
| Developer | Sellar Property Group |
Shard London Bridge — also known as London Bridge Tower and the Shard of Glass — is an as yet unbuilt skyscraper approved for construction in London.
Initial proposals were drawn up by Broadway Malyan, but towards the end of 2000 the Genoese master Renzo Piano was brought into rethinking the scheme. It would replace Southwark Towers, a 24-storey office building which was completed in 1976. The tower would be 306 metres (1,003 feet) tall and have 66 floors, plus further radiator floors in the roof, making it the tallest building in the country. After a lengthy public inquiry, it was granted full planning permission in November 2003.
When it was first announced, it was hoped that it would be the tallest building in Europe on completion. Another skyscraper, the Bishopsgate Tower, was submitted for planning permission in London and was originally proposed to exceed the height of the Shard by a metre. However, the scheduled height of the Bishopsgate Tower has now been reduced, so the Shard could once again become London's (and Britain's) tallest building if construction goes ahead.
Piano has compared his designs to "a shard of glass" - he considers the slender, spire-like form of the tower a positive addition to the London skyline and believes that its presence will be far more ethereal than opponents of the scheme allege. He proposes a sophisticated use of glazing, with expressive facades of angled panes intended to reflect light and the changing patterns of the sky, so that the form of the building will change according to the weather and seasons.
Construction was expected to begin in 2005, with completion in 2009. However in 2004, the company PricewaterhouseCoopers, who hold a long-term lease on Southwark Towers, decided that they were not willing to vacate before 2006. This pushed the earliest possible completion date back to the end of 2010. PwC are relocating their people into nearby offices and are expected to vacate the premises in July 2007(?), with demolition proceeding immediately afterwards and completion in 2011 or 2012.
The project would also involve major improvements to the concourse and facilities of London Bridge station. It would include shops, offices and flats as well as a museum and a public piazza. A hotel, to be operated by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts as their first European location, would be expected to take up around a fifth of the available space. A large pre-let for office space in the tower has been agreed in principle by Transport for London.
Another notable feature of the building would be a public viewing gallery at the top. This would be expected to draw over 2 million visitors a year, around the same number who visit the London Eye.
[edit] Reference
Powell, Kenneth; "New London Architecture", (2001, Hugh Merell, London), pp: 218-219
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Petition to save the Shard
- Skyscrapernews.com page on the London Bridge Tower
- 'Shard of glass' set to join London skyline (The Guardian, 19 November 2003)
- London Bridge Tower Design concept of the Shard London Bridge Tower.
- Public comments on the tower
UK Skyscrapers Completed: One Canada Square · HSBC Tower · Citigroup Centre · 30 St Mary Axe · Tower 42 · One Churchill Place · Beetham Tower
Expected: Shard London Bridge · Bishopsgate Tower · Heron Tower · 122 Leadenhall Street · V Building · Inacity Tower
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