London Bridge Tower
Architect:
Renzo Piano
Address:
32 London Bridge Street, Southwark,
London,
United Kingdom
Investor:Sellar Property Group
Project:2000-05
Completion:2006-2011
Price:500 000 000 Euro
“Architects must dream, must discover Atlantises, be explorers, researchers, and still build well and responsibly.”
On the south bank of the River Thames between the town hall and the new Tate gallery, a skyscraper will rise that, upon its completion, will become the tallest building in Europe (surpassing Moscow's Triumph-Palace built last year by 40 meters). Despite a lengthy process, the London Bridge Tower project by Italian architect Renzo Piano has surprisingly received positive support from traders, politicians, and local residents. The not-so-attractive district of Southwark is undergoing a transformative construction phase, with the involvement of many significant architectural firms. London Bridge Tower will replace the hundred-meter building of the world's largest consulting firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The demolition of the building will join other milestones associated with this structure - as currently the tallest demolished building in England. The company building LBT also owns the neighboring twenty-story building, New London Bridge House, which it has decided to demolish and replace with another design by Renzo Piano (the project was presented this April - here).
The original design for London Bridge Tower comes from the 1990s from the Broadway Malayan office. The spirally topped cylindrical skyscraper was to be, at 1265 feet (422m), the third tallest building in the world. However, London was not inclined to such experiments, and the words of critics were intensified by the terrorist attack on the WTC. Irvine Sellar ultimately commissioned the project to the Genoese architect. Renzo Piano decided that his building would evoke the past as much as the future, paying tribute to the city and to Sir Christopher Wren (the author of Saint Paul's Cathedral and many other London landmarks), who had a significant influence on the city's current form after the Great Fire of 1666. Piano's design, which is a hundred meters lower and far more charming, soon earned the nickname "glass pyramid" from journalists. The new, smaller skyscraper will feature faster escape routes and greater stability. The tapering shape of the tower perfectly integrates spacious office areas at the base and intimate apartments at its top. Each function requires a different depth of layout and varies in spatial demands. Piano has managed to solve many potential problems with a simple form. Another innovative feature will be an observation deck at 800 feet, offering unprecedented views of the city. With a total height exceeding 1000 feet, the skyscraper will become an unmistakable element dominating the city skyline from any vantage point. English Heritage and other preservation societies have attempted to prevent the construction, arguing that the tower “will pierce the heart of London like a glass needle.”
London Bridge Tower will be clad in "extra white" glass that will reflect the sky far more than traditional skyscrapers. Depending on the weather, it may occasionally appear that the upper floors have vanished. Moreover, as the light changes with the time of day or season, so will the image of the tower. The construction of the skyscraper is also linked with London Bridge Station, one of the most congested and outdated railway stations in the city. The tower's construction plans to modernize the current unsatisfactory transportation infrastructure.
Facts:
R.Piano
On the south bank of the River Thames between the town hall and the new Tate gallery, a skyscraper will rise that, upon its completion, will become the tallest building in Europe (surpassing Moscow's Triumph-Palace built last year by 40 meters). Despite a lengthy process, the London Bridge Tower project by Italian architect Renzo Piano has surprisingly received positive support from traders, politicians, and local residents. The not-so-attractive district of Southwark is undergoing a transformative construction phase, with the involvement of many significant architectural firms. London Bridge Tower will replace the hundred-meter building of the world's largest consulting firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The demolition of the building will join other milestones associated with this structure - as currently the tallest demolished building in England. The company building LBT also owns the neighboring twenty-story building, New London Bridge House, which it has decided to demolish and replace with another design by Renzo Piano (the project was presented this April - here).
The original design for London Bridge Tower comes from the 1990s from the Broadway Malayan office. The spirally topped cylindrical skyscraper was to be, at 1265 feet (422m), the third tallest building in the world. However, London was not inclined to such experiments, and the words of critics were intensified by the terrorist attack on the WTC. Irvine Sellar ultimately commissioned the project to the Genoese architect. Renzo Piano decided that his building would evoke the past as much as the future, paying tribute to the city and to Sir Christopher Wren (the author of Saint Paul's Cathedral and many other London landmarks), who had a significant influence on the city's current form after the Great Fire of 1666. Piano's design, which is a hundred meters lower and far more charming, soon earned the nickname "glass pyramid" from journalists. The new, smaller skyscraper will feature faster escape routes and greater stability. The tapering shape of the tower perfectly integrates spacious office areas at the base and intimate apartments at its top. Each function requires a different depth of layout and varies in spatial demands. Piano has managed to solve many potential problems with a simple form. Another innovative feature will be an observation deck at 800 feet, offering unprecedented views of the city. With a total height exceeding 1000 feet, the skyscraper will become an unmistakable element dominating the city skyline from any vantage point. English Heritage and other preservation societies have attempted to prevent the construction, arguing that the tower “will pierce the heart of London like a glass needle.”
London Bridge Tower will be clad in "extra white" glass that will reflect the sky far more than traditional skyscrapers. Depending on the weather, it may occasionally appear that the upper floors have vanished. Moreover, as the light changes with the time of day or season, so will the image of the tower. The construction of the skyscraper is also linked with London Bridge Station, one of the most congested and outdated railway stations in the city. The tower's construction plans to modernize the current unsatisfactory transportation infrastructure.
Facts:
- The floors of the skyscraper will be divided as follows: 0-4 shops, 5-31 offices (covering an area of 55750 m²), 34-36 public observation deck, 37-51 hotel (195 rooms), 52-63 apartments (170 apartments), 65-66 public observation deck, 67 - cooling and technical facilities
- Upon completion, it will be the tallest building in Europe
- The project will utilize 39 elevators (11 of which will be double-decker)
- It is incorrectly claimed that the building has only 66 floors. It has at least 67 stories, with additional floors for cooling and other mechanical equipment (12 floors for cooling, 12 transmitters)
- March 2001 - the intention to build this building was submitted to the London borough of Southwark
- March 2002 - Southwark and Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, express their support for the project
- July 2002 - the Prime Minister's representative suspends planning to allow for a survey on the impact of the construction on the city
- April 15, 2003 - a public survey lasting 12 days allows people to express their opinions on the construction freely
- November 19, 2003 - the office of the Prime Minister's representative granted the construction permit, a key point moving the project from the drawing boards closer to reality
- The shell of the building is expected to be completed by mid-2007, with complete finishing slated for the third quarter of 2010
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Marek Moravec
07.11.10 04:31
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