|
Heron Tower sprouts over Tower 42 to take top spot in the city
KPF's Heron Tower, which will stand 755 ft tall upon completion, is now officially the tallest building in the City of London after surpassing Tower 42’s 600 ft height. Set for completion in March 2011, Heron Tower’s 46 storeys will provide over 40,000 sq m of office space in the centre of London in an innovative 3-floor village structure.
Former KPF London partner Lee Polisano who left the practice to set up PLP Architecture worked on the project and congratulated all those involved: “Witnessing the work that my partners and I have done on this project for so many years now coming to fruition is a fantastic feeling for me.
“Heron Tower represents a new generation of tall buildings that are contextually and environmentally specific while providing the opportunity to create a new landmark that advances the skyline of our City. This experience has been very rewarding. I am very pleased with the evolution of the project and grateful for the commitment of the wider project team and the support of many in the City of London. Heron Tower would not have been possible without the strong direction that Gerald Ronson provided to this project.”
Having already achieved a sustainability rating of BREEAM Excellent, Heron Tower is set to be a sought after working address. The 3-floor ‘village’ system for offices creates hives of activity for businesses across three levels. 11 ‘villages’ in total are comprised a full base floor and two gallery floors arranged around a north-facing atrium.
Six external lifts provide dramatic views out into the bustling city while the exterior of the building itself generates energy through a ‘veil’ of photovoltaic cells on the south elevation, which also serve as solar shading. A restaurant and sky bar provide further opportunity to take advantage of the city setting with external terraces at 175 m high.
Heron Tower's reign at the top is likely to be short lived with two projects closely chasing its tail to become the tallest in the City. Renzo Piano's Shard, set for completion at London Bridge in 2012, will take over from One Canada Square in East London's Canary Wharf to become the tallest tower in the UK at 984 ft, followed by Bishopsgate Tower which will be 945 ft tall upon its completion that same year. Tower 42, formerly known as NatWest Tower, was the tallest tower in the City of London at 600 ft.
|
