Owned by the 50:50 joint venture between British Land and Oxford Properties, The Leadenhall Building, opposite Lloyd’s of London in the heart of the City of London, has been under construction since early 2011. It is due to complete in summer 2014 and will comprise 610,000 sq ft of office space over 47 floors.
The Leadenhall Building – not far to go now…
The striking architectural design of The Leadenhall Building incorporates 18,000 tonnes of steel and 70,000 sq metres of cladding. In one of the most advanced forms of construction by main contractor, Laing O’Rourke, 85% of the structure (by construction value) has been manufactured off-site.
As well as being the newest addition to London’s skyline, The Leadenhall Building will be part of the City’s fabric at ground level, creating a half acre, seven storey galleria which will include formal lawns, seating, mature trees, retail units and an actively managed events space, creating a vibrant and welcoming environment open to the public.
London Mayor, Boris Johnson
At the ‘topping out’ ceremony The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The Leadenhall Building is the latest landmark to grace London’s iconic skyline, demonstrating our city’s ability to design and construct world-class architecture. The building’s soaring pinnacle symbolises the confidence in London‘s status as a global centre of finance and trade.”
The Leadenhall Building was designed by Graham Stirk, partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. The building’s distinctive tapered profile has been designed to protect the sight line of St Paul’s Cathedral. Unusually for a tall building, The Leadenhall Building has no central core, with an external mega frame providing the lateral stability and the 26 passenger lifts housed in the building’s Northern Core, painted bright yellow, at the rear of the building. The shape of the building and colour giving rise to its fond nickname the ‘Cheesegrater.’
A year ahead of its completion the building is 51% pre-let, following commitments with international insurance company Aon, which will relocate its head office to the building from Chicago, and specialist underwriter Amlin.
My Photo: The Leadenhall Building from St Mary Axe
Read about the View from the Shard here and England’s Tallest Attractions.
We’ve a head for heights check us out jumping out of a plane for HTC One.
