The View from The Shard tourist attraction inside Renzo Piano's 310-metre London skyscraper opens to the public today and these new shots by photographer Nick Guttridge show just how tall the building is compared with the rest of London's skyline (+ slideshow). More »
We don't usually publish single photographs on Dezeen, but we really like this atmospheric shot by photographer Edmund Sumner showing London skyscraper The Shard framed by the towers of Canary Wharf in the east. More »
Dezeen Wire: Renzo Piano's London skyscraper The Shard is due to be officially inaugurated tomorrow, followed by a five-minute laser show projected onto its 310-metre-high facade.
The tower, which is the tallest in western Europe, is getting controversial reviews. Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins writes that the tower "has slashed the face of London for ever" while Aditya Chakrabortty recently wrote in the same newspaper: "It's expensive. It's off-limits. It's largely owned by people who don't live here. And it is the perfect metaphor for what our capital is becoming." More »
As The Shard nears completion in London, here is the transcript of an interview conducted with architect Renzo Piano before work started on the 300 metre-high tower. More »
Movie: this timelapse movie by architectural photographer Paul Raftery and director Dan Lowe shows the final stages of construction for London skyscraper The Shard, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. More »
Dezeen Wire: urban explorer Bradley Garrett has posted photographs on his blog showing how himself and members of the group London Consolidation Crew climbed the 309-metre-high exterior of London skyscraper the Shard back in February 2011. More »
Dezeen Wire: the ongoing construction of skyscrapers in central London has caused the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to reconsider the status of the Tower of London and the Palace of Westminster as recognised sites of historical significance – Evening Standard
UNESCO are concerned that The Shard by architect Renzo Piano near the Tower of London and the 43-storey Doon Street tower on the opposite side of the river Thames from Westminster are having a negative impact on the views and historical integrity of the landmarks. It could place them on its "at risk" register, which would damage their appeal to international tourists.
See our previous story in which Renzo Piano says The Shard "will be loved" by the public and UNESCO's announcement of 25 new additions to the World Heritage List from earlier this year.
Dezeen Wire: Italian architect Renzo Piano says his London skyscraper, The Shard, will be loved by the public, because "it will be accessible, because it is transparent, understandable and not mysterious" – The Telegraph
The public will be able to access restaurants and a viewing gallery at the top of Europe's tallest building, which fellow architect and friend of Piano, Richard Rogers suggests "will be one of Renzo's major works [and] one of his major successes."
Piano believes that skyscrapers such as The Shard represent the most responsible approach to tackling the issue of urban sprawl, stating: "It is more socially correct to intensify the city and free up space on the ground. The city is fragile and vulnerable, so we have to be careful."
Dezeen Wire: as Renzo Piano's Shard takes shape in London, art critic Jonathan Jones decries it as "a flashing warning sign of disease" - The Guardian
See visualisations of how the building might be photographed once complete »
Here is a selection of images created by photographer Nick Wood and architectural rendering studio Hayes Davidson to demonstrate how The Shard tower by Renzo Piano Building Workshop might be photographed once complete in 2012. More »
Here are the latest images of The Shard, a mixed-use tower at London Bridge in London, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop. More »
