Here are the latest images of The Shard, a mixed-use tower at London Bridge in London, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
Construction work has started on the 306 metre-high building, which will sit on an irregular-shaped site adjacent to London Bridge station as part of a new development called London Bridge Quarter.
The design consists of several glass facets that incline inwards but do not meet at the top, and is inspired by the masts of ships that once anchored on the Thames.
The 72-storey building contains offices, apartments, a hotel and spa, retail and restaurants and is topped by a 15-storey public viewing gallery (below).
The Shard will replace the 1970’s Southwark Tower building on Bridge Street which has since been demolished in preparation for construction, which is due to be completed in 2012.
Here’s some text from Sellar Property Group, the developer:
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THE SHARD AT LONDON BRIDGE QUARTER – A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE LONDON SKYLINE
The Shard
The Shard is one of the most enigmatic buildings to adorn the London skyline in recent years. The vision of its creator, the much lauded Italian architect Renzo Piano was for a vertical ‘City in the Sky’; and the Shard at London Bridge Quarter with its mix of offices residences, hotel, restaurants and viewing platforms will herald a new era in high rise development for London and will become emblematic when all eyes look towards the city in 2012.
Increasing density in central London, particularly near major public transport nodes, is key to London’s future development. Improving the efficiency of the public transport system and maximising the use of space around transport hub is essential.
Given the Shard’s location above one of London’s key commuter stations, bus interchange and two main underground lines, a high density development was deemed not only possible but very desirable.
At an inspiring height of 306 metres (1,016 feet) and with a total 72 occupied floors reaching skyward into a breathtaking 15 story spire, the Shard London Bridge Quarter is set to be the tallest building in Western Europe.
The Shard immediately adjacent to London Bridge Station will rest elegantly on the London skyline, providing a welcome new symbol for the world financial capital. The Shard replaces the Southwark Tower, a 1970’s building located on London Bridge Street.
The Shard offers high density vertical development at a transport hub and will be the UK’s first truly mixed use tower, devised to interface with London on many levels.
The master architect, Renzo Piano, designed the Shard as a ‘vertical city’ that includes a public piazza, 586,509 sq ft (54, 488 sq m) of world class office space, an exclusive collection of residential apartments which will be the highest residential apartments in the UK and will be serviced by Europe’s first 5-star Shangri-La Hotel, retail space, restaurants, and a public viewing gallery.
This will all ensure that it becomes the beating heart of a regenerated London Bridge Quarter. Inspired by the spires of London’s churches and the top sails of the ships that used to moor on the Thames, the Shard will be a light and elegant presence in London’s skyline. The plan is generated by the irregular nature of the site. Each facet forms a shard, a plane of glass gently inclined inwards, rising towards the top. The corners are open and the shards do not touch, allowing the building to breathe. In turn the glass surface fragments as it rises and the tower dissolves into the sky.
The Office Space
The Shard offers 54, 488 sq m (586,509 sq ft) of flexible prime office space and is set to become the premier commercial address in London. Over 45% of the Shard has already been pre-let to Shangri La (floors 34-52) and to Transport for London (floors 4-10). The remaining available office space offers all the amenities one would expect from a desirable central London address. The highly flexible floor plates are efficient and effective with space nett internal floor area ranging from 2,790 sq m (30,032 sq ft) to 1,349 sq m (14,521 sq ft). A key feature of the office floors is the naturally ventilated winter gardens.
These spaces were first devised by Renzo Piano for his acclaimed Aurora Place skyscraper in Sydney, Australia. These multifunctional areas make the most of the stunning views across the Thames and from Hyde Park in the West to Canary Wharf in the East from the Shard. The winter gardens can be used for a variety of purposes and allow occupants to enjoy natural light and air within the office. The offices within the Shard are accessed via a dedicated entrance on the concourse level of London Bridge Quarter. The office entrance also benefits from direct access to London Bridge mainline station, the bus station and the Jubilee and Northern lines on the Underground.
The Hotel
The first Shangri-La Hotel in the UK will occupy floors 34-52 of the Shard and will contain 195 rooms and suites. The hotel will operate on the simple yet powerful philosophy of a warm, efficient and seamless service that has made the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Group famous. The Hotel will also feature a signature Shangri-La Spa on floor 52, which is available to guests as well as the residents and workers in the Shard and London Bridge Place. The Hotel also has its own entrance on St Thomas Street with valet parking and taxi drop off point directly outside.
The Apartments
An exclusive collection of apartments at the Shard are arranged on floors 53-65 and are the highest elevation residences in the UK. With their amazing vistas across the London skyline they will be one of the most coveted addresses in the world. The apartments will be the ultimate in sophisticated and contemporary living, with each being custom designed to the resident’s exact specifications. The apartments will also benefit from all the services and facilities of the Shangri-La Hotel. To ensure the maximum levels of privacy synonymous with an exclusive address, residents at the Shard will have their own private entrance on St Thomas Street.
The Public Viewing Galleries
Uniquely, the Shard will be open to the general public who can visit the viewing platforms on floors 68-72. These viewing galleries offer breathtaking 360° views across London. The viewing galleries are accessed directly from an entrance on the mezzanine level at below ground level so that visitors do not cross over with any of the other users of the building. The galleries are expected to attract over half a million visitors a year and with visibility at 800 ft (almost double the height of the pinnacle of The London Eye) are certain to become a major tourist attraction.
The Shard will be a striking new addition to the London skyline, commanding panoramic views across the capital doubling the height offered from the London Eye. The Shard will become the tallest building in London as it reaches the maximum height allowed by the Civil Aviation Authority with unobstructed views thanks to its proximity to the river.
Restaurants
The Shard will contain an exciting mix of world class restaurants and cafes for the enjoyment of residents and visitors alike. With its prime location on top of a major transport interchange, the Shard is expected to become a destination in its own right with people travelling from across London and the rest of the UK to dine in one of its restaurants (located on floors 31-33) and experience the highest view in the United Kingdom.
Public Space
The development of the Shard and the creation of London Bridge Quarter has provided the opportunity to transform the transport facilities at this major London transport interchange. London Bridge Station is one of London’s busiest railway stations, with an average of over 350, 000 journeys through the station each day.
In addition to a new concourse for London Bridge Station, a bigger bus station will be constructed to the north of London Bridge Place with 15 bus routes, as well as riverboat and taxi stands. The train and tube stations will be extended covering an impressive 61 underground and 247 rail destinations.
London Bridge Quarter will also include a significant new public square with ever changing art installations, cafes and places for visitors to the area to relax.
By bringing the soul back into the heart of the city, London Bridge Quarter will benefit not only tenants and residents of the Shard but also the local community by becoming a vibrant public space for everyone to enjoy. When completed in Spring 2012, the Shard London Bridge Quarter will be an awe inspiring part of the London skyline.
With its hotel, restaurants, luxury residences, flexible premium office space and public viewing galleries the Shard is a welcome addition to this long overlooked area of Central London. The Shard will form the nucleus of London Bridge Quarter, a large scale regeneration program for the area by Sellar on behalf of LBQ Ltd. This far-reaching program will improve the local district and reinforce the importance of this gateway destination for the benefit of all of London.
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Posted by Zaynab D. Ziari
August 25th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
The sunset renders made me wee a little bit.
August 25th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
no… no… please dont do that!
August 25th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
London Bridge used to be on my commute route and has long needed addressing as it is a busy gateway to the square mile and the wider central city too. The building looks impressive, it will be interesting to see how the public use the plaza areas once completed. I look forward to the views it will give of the capital, I doubt I’ll catch a sunset like that that photoshop wonder though!
August 25th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Very good render.
August 25th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
must have been a quite big ship ” that once anchored on the Thames”
August 25th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
To me this seems to be a very interesting tower design, I especially like the articulation of the shards at the top. With such beautifully made images it’s hard to rationally think about negative points.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Jesus Christ will someone deflate the egos of these architects! First the eye-hurtingly bright boxes in St Giles and now this to dominate our field of vision for decades to come! It looks like it wouldn’t be out of place in Mordor – moreso after a few years of London air pollution stuck to it. It is SO BIG. And is there really any need for more wind tunnel like giant plazas by the river?
August 25th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Absolutely beautiful.
It is sturdy and solid looking, and the idea of the shards not touching at edges gives this a beautiful natural feeling, like growing crystals. The tower is irregular yet unified in its overall concept.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
oy vey.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
It is great to see Renzo Piano, putting a masterpiece into London as he did once in Paris!
August 25th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Is London loosing its karakter and idendity?
You superarchitects…get lost.
Do as the Parisians in Le defence. Reserve an special area oute site of the old city for the ecosentric high rise fans.
August 25th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Rememder the rality is always ugly compared with the architects renderings.
August 25th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
What an interesting form for an skyscraper, like an extended tipi (teepee)
August 25th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
The view from the ‘public viewing platform’ will no-doubt be breath-taking.
But a view from any structure towering THAT HIGH above London would be.
And to me this IS just ‘any structure’.
I don’t feel it warrants such a disproportionate slice of the skyline.
If only it was as good to look AT as it is to look out of.
August 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Absolutely awsome renders
I look over again on it – all highrisers that are around looks english like, like i would recognize a London spirit or somehow. But that one looks like from Honk Kong, don`t know why but i feel eastern spirit in it.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
I think it’s a shame that this movement of increasing verticality in the European capitals is really going to happen.
I’m not European and maybe there’s a bit of romantism in my thoughts, but it’s going to be a boring world, full of communities plenty of needles.
We know the populational increase in world’s capitals is a fact, but i’m positive that a serious and profound study (leaded by politicians and architects) would be able to find different solutions rather than just spread up towers around the globe.
PS. I realy, really admire renzo Piano which is in my opinion one of the greatest architects of last century. But i wish this project was radically different.
August 25th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
irvine’s the man!
August 25th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
what about this tower is hong-kong-like?
got a postcard from there once, eh?
this project is truely a contribution to london’s future….
August 25th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
p.s. will prince charles accept it?! good luck, renzo!
August 25th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
they’re closing shunt for this :’-(
August 25th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
London isn’t known for supertalls or iconic towers (the Gherkin not withstanding), so to execute one requires that it be the right one in the right place. While this might be the right place, I’m not so sure this one is the right one.
First, the name is horrid. Second, the whole shard, crystal thing is at present over played. This will date the building before the fittings are even installed. Third, will the ‘shardiness’ of the top even be meaningful from 306 meters below? And finally, I never thought I would see this, but even as a glass structure, it’s brutish looking.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:45 am
i very much like renzo’s work but i just don’t find this to be an exciting building.
also, at 306 meters high i would be extremely surprised if it really ends up being that high.
August 26th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Un aporte muy importante para Londres!
Que grande eres Renzo Piano!
August 26th, 2009 at 1:19 am
yaheee, “higher than gherkin”, that’s a strong concept
this tower is absolutely scary, the picture where it makes the background of Tate is frightening
i’m also very impressed by how detailed and super-realistic the renderings are, seems that there’s no limit for this…
August 26th, 2009 at 2:15 am
The first render reminds me of the Ivory Tower in The Never Ending Story!?
August 26th, 2009 at 3:16 am
exactly what i was going to say….im sure its only a matter of time before he’ll step over the nuisance of democratic process and intervene to put a stop to this…..
August 26th, 2009 at 4:24 am
I can’t stand the incessant render-wank. Those are for the creditors, convincing them that the investment is a good idea, guaranteeing buy-in.
August 26th, 2009 at 5:46 am
It looks a lot like that frank lloyd wrights mile high tower… cept… squished down quite a bit and then detailed nicely at the top. I think the proportions are yucky… but its very clear that they are more efficient than the traditional rectangular form so I think I just need to join the 21st century and get over it.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:13 am
nice,but looks like one of norman foster’s tower in Moscow.
http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/02/27/russia-tower-worlds-largest-naturally-ventilated-building/
August 26th, 2009 at 7:26 am
RENZO IS THE BEST!!!, THIS PROJECT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN HIS USUALL WORK, BUT EVERY TIME IT HAS A SENCE!
August 26th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Et tu, Renzo?
August 26th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Only Foster should be allowed to build highrises in the UK.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I agree about the glass, there’s too much of it – but for me its the fact that’s it’s a mixed use high rise – this is our (low carbon) future. Cities need to become places where walking and cycling become the main forms of transport this can only happen if we build up rather than out.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
…. glass pyramid? IMpei got there first.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Let’s count down the days till Prince Charles vetos this one too…
August 26th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
this project is definitely going to enrich London’s skyline!
But in any case I feel like we have to be aware of the powerful convincingness of these renderings: they’re so damn real that I feel hypnotized by them…feels like that skyscraper is already built!
August 26th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I like the form.. it looks too large for the scale of the city around it though, like it will dominate the skyline as opposed to having an interplay with the other funny shaped London towers.
August 26th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
The Gherkin at least is shorter.
August 26th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
When did this get redesigned?
August 26th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
from the pictures i think this does look elegant and at the same time monumental & its good the public will have access to viewing gallery, i hope they maintain enough affordable housing in the area, which already has a really good, diverse feel (types of people, architecture etc.) It could be good,
August 26th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
“another world, another time…
in the age of wonder…”
“When single shines the triple sun,
What was sundered and undone
Shall be whole, the two made one,
By Gelfling hand, or else by none.”
- – – – – – – – – -
It’s not shardy enough to warrant the name.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
This presentation is a bit of a render wank…but WHAT a render wank it is!! Wow. Some mad skilz on the part of the render monkeys for this project. Great work, render monkeys!
From what it looks like, the project is actually pretty great, too. It’s out of scale for London, no doubt…but folks, get used to it. Lord Foster started it all, and here we go. The next fifty years are going to show more outrageous lines for the sky, and this one is definitely iconic. I’m also giving Piano the benefit of the doubt…but for a fuller understanding, I would love to see some plans and sections even a fraction as sexy as the renders.
August 27th, 2009 at 6:49 am
they spent sooo much money on the images. i somehow thought piano was beyond the hype of images, but i guess not.
August 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
All these shaped towers somehow remind me of bad mobile phone ring tones. Just bad judgement, aesthetically.
My Feeling tells me those overly shaped glass towers are bad news for grand cities like NY, London, Paris, Hong Kong, aesthetically. After one or two of those (Foster, now Piano), there will be no holding back and London will resemble Dubai. I can already see the Piano tower washed in color-changing lights.
The Bladerunner aesthetic is on its way in, no doubt. Very sad. Yes, hope Paris keeps them away and all herded together at La Defense, ego-playground.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
awesome renderings… anyone knows who did them?
August 28th, 2009 at 1:17 am
love it.
August 28th, 2009 at 5:19 am
It’s quite an elegant building but does not sit well in the heart of London. The immensity of it would either dwarf everything around it or be totally out of context there. Gerkhin work better because the facade is more tactile. The image of Shard in the background and london bridge in the forground says it all.
Probably confuse SF with london’s skyline soon.
August 28th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
eb nyc – but does this building really have to hearld the start of somekind of bladerunner aesthetic for london? I hope not…, im sure there are many other options, I am imagining this building much more as a “one off”,
August 28th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
wht is this??/ in the middle of london.. plzzzz spare us .. those u love the city!! wot shard.. v unsharded!! this .. piece of nondescript giant.. no geometry ..hardly detailed.. no definiton to the building .. horrible.. plzx dnt even compare to gherkin.. tht wich makes u feel like making love to the city.. someone.. charles.. plz stop this monstrosity frm being built and yes .. i believe someone shud leave the skyline alone.. if they can add.. good.. if they wana build just some nondescript dud like this one.. back off..
August 31st, 2009 at 12:47 am
It looks like a child’s version (how simple can you get?) of the Transamerica Pyramid here in San Francisco. Piano’s Cal Academy here is amazing in the magazines, but the detailing and the overall design of it are completely basic, badly coordinated and horribly executed, upon actually visiting it. If the form is so boring one would hope the detailing would make up for it. Can’t tell from the renders though.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:03 am
common guys this is London we are talking about here, not Shangai isn’t the Gerkin enough? Anymore Iconic buildings would take taste away from London. I plead: please leave my Gerkin and London alone (PLM-GALA!). Anything more would be like a pretty woman with three boobs. eww
August 31st, 2009 at 11:03 am
“wht is this??/ in the middle of london.. plzzzz spare us .. those u love the city!! wot shard.. v unsharded!! this .. piece of nondescript giant.. no geometry ..hardly detailed.. no definiton to the building .. horrible.. plzx dnt even compare to gherkin.. tht wich makes u feel like making love to the city.. someone.. charles.. plz stop this monstrosity frm being built and yes .. i believe someone shud leave the skyline alone.. if they can add.. good.. if they wana build just some nondescript dud like this one.. back off..”
Eh? It’s one of the best skyscraper proposals in the world. It’s even better than the Gherkin, and it’s better than most (if not all) of what you’d find in Dubai, even if it’s only half the bloody height…
From what I’ve seen, more people like this building than not. It’s starting construction now, and at this stage the only person who can stop it, is the developer. Not Prince bloody Charles, not English Heritage… So don’t hold your breath…
August 31st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Too tall. Too big. Too fascist. Dominates everything else around so that rich people can live in the sky and look at the city at their feet.
Looks like how I imagine the Ministry of Truth would have looked. See also North Korea:
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/image.axd?picture=071128+pyongyang+pyramid+2.jpg
September 1st, 2009 at 9:09 am
too small!
September 1st, 2009 at 12:13 pm
This is totally scary !!
I’m sick with all these glass buildings – the city is going to be turned into a cheesy crystal palace, this is so 2000 !
Looks like one of Renzo’s old drawings…..just change the name at the bottom of the presentation and put LONDON instead of DUBAI !!
September 2nd, 2009 at 4:34 am
it doesn’t look like Piano’s, it’s much alike Foster’s style
September 5th, 2009 at 11:48 am
ahmm… just a bit out of scale? this architecture? i missed something somewhere!
September 5th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
havent read the rest of the comments, so apologies if this is a repeat, but does anyone else find it a bit dumpy. it’s not proportionally slender enough at the base. like it got squashed, but prob cos they had to fatten the base – i hear the floor ratios are crap, particularly nearing the top, but hey ho, look how good those perfect office floor plates make canary wharf…
September 15th, 2009 at 6:28 am
its great from afar…… creating a new character, well a nice contrast…
September 16th, 2009 at 9:59 am
My immediate thought is… won’t it be boiling hot inside in a London summer? Like being in a giant greenhouse!
M
September 17th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I really admire Renzo Piano, i was hoping he would end up with a more delicate piece of work when ASKED TO DO
this doesnt even look good in the rendering