Back on a high

With demand growing for Grade A office property in the city, developers are considering beginning or restarting construction projects. And their plans look set to leave a big impression upon London's skyline

Though still in the early stages of recovery, the UK is clear from the longest and deepest recession in living memory. Property played an integral part of this downturn. And in turn, it has been one of the worst effected industries during it.

Despite our exit from downturn, things still look bleak. In London, development has reached a new low, with only 33
new office schemes proposed for Central London in the last year compared to 106 two years ago, according to a Drivers Jonas Deloitte report.

The lack of development is now causing rising demand in the city, as more occupiers enter a market with no new space. British Land, for example, reported in April that over 90 percent of their available floor space had been let, with over half a million square feet of space being taken up in the months since February of this year. With these figures being matched by other major developers, return to development in the capital is inevitable.

This new phase of development seems to be accompanied by a sense of purpose. With so many companies having gone bust, those remaining now seem intent on making their presence felt, leaving a testament to their survival and their strength through the dark economic times. As such, the new developments currently planned in London are the tallest and most impressive skyscrapers ever seen in the capital, likely to shape the London skyline for generations to come. The details of some of them now follow.

Heron Tower
Located deep within the City of London, Heron Tower will likely be the first new development to reach completion, with its topping out ceremony held in mid-April. Once completed, the building will be over 240m high, edging over the height of neighbouring skyline icon 30 St Mary Axe (also known as ‘The Gherkin’) and close to the height of Canary Wharf. The 46 storey building will contain over 40,800 sqm of office space, as well as a bar and restaurant and retail opportunities.  

As the first of a new generation of London skyscrapers, architect Kohn Pedersen Fox and developers Skanska have subscribed to the most modern designs possible. The structure of the building with external metal support beams has reduced the need for internal support pillars, maximising available space. Ten high speed lifts will be used for transport between floors, while six ‘scenic’ glass lifts, running up the building’s exterior, will offer passengers excellent views of the city. The building has also been designed for an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating in terms of its environmental impact, as it incorporates extensive glass to minimise the need for lighting as well as a photovoltaic cells on its south elevation to create green energy.

Perhaps not the most aesthetically exciting of the developments coming to the London skyline, Heron Tower is however the most obviously functional at present and likely to be a leasing hot spot for businesses in the future.

Broadgate Tower
British Land’s dual development alongside 201 Bishopsgate, Broadgate Tower will stretch 165m into the skyline of the Liverpool Street area. 30 storeys high, shots emerging from the building so far suggest that designers will make strong use of  the building’s principal materials of glass and brushed steel, with a stunning multicoloured glass entrance area that stretches across five of the storeys already completed.

Column-free internal design allow for a typical  work space of 1,200 sqm per floor, with a total capacity of over 37,000 sqm The development’s environmental credentials are also set to impress, with a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating and the inclusion of heat recovery equipment reducing heating costs by as much as 40 percent compared to average. Though smaller than its rivals, Broadgate Tower will still offer excellent views and a modern flexible office environment for the City.

151 City Road
The hotel in our selection, the 151 City Road development intends to bring a touch of luxury to a stay in the EC1 postcode. Set to have 247 rooms, developers Squier and Partners have stated the building will feature a strong influence from the tessellating geometric art of Bridget Riley, including a raised ‘skirt’ at the base of the building that reveals its entrance.

The current development is the second tower that has been planned for the site. The first plans for a 43 storey, mixed-use building was rejected, yet this smaller 24 floor storey development was given planning permission in March of this year. As such progress on this 74m high development is still much in its infancy and as such details have yet to be revealed. The development is however likely to become a significant one for the area, being in range of the City, upper-class Islington and trendy Shoreditch areas.

122 Leadenhall Street
A 50-storey development opposite the Lloyd’s of London building, 122 Leadenhall will pierce the sky at 224.5m in height. Another development by British Land, the building has been designed both to dominate the skyline and preserve existing architectural icons. Its striking tapered-point design has been driven by the requirement to preserve views of St. Paul’s Cathedral yet has come to be the building’s key characteristics. As British Land have described that “its spire-like profile forms the apex of an emerging cluster of towers in the City of London”. Another of the building’s unique selling points will be its glass atrium entrance with indoor trees and garden.

The development has been one of casualties of the downturn. Though foundations and the basement levels of the building have been laid, the remainder of the development remains on hold. Yet with British Land' positive take-up figures recently, this situation may soon be under review.  

20 Fenchurch Street
One of the more controversial designs for the city, Land Securities’ 20 Fenchurch Street has been nicknamed the ‘Walkie Talkie’ building due to the similarities in its concave shape to a two-way radio. Again, this defining feature is a response to criticisms that the building would restrict the view of St Paul’s but also creates an architectural challenge in creating the bulbous top to the building that overhangs its base and street below.

When completed, 20 Fenchurch Street will offer 59,000 sqm of office space over the building’s estimated 177m height (at its curved peak).

Other impressive features include triple glazing on the external glass along with particular design to maximise the use of light while minimise potential discomfort of sun glare to occupants. The building’s design has a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating, with over 80 percent of materials from the previous building on the site being recycled and an
aim for all the timber used in construction to be sustainably sourced. The botanical and roof gardens, which will be London’s highest, will also make use of both rain water and recycled grey water for its upkeep.

Though still divisive, once underway 20 Fenchurch Street will be one of the most dominant buildings on the London skyline, standing impressively over the Thames.

The Shard
Sitting on the south bank of the Thames, The Shard represents probably the greatest development change to the London Bridge area for a generation and the jewel in the crown for the regeneration of the London Bridge Quarter. The monolithic glass mixed-use development will stand over 300m high when completed, making it the tallest building in London and one of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe.

Developed by Sellar Property Group with construction firm Mace, its design will be split between offices in its lower third, with residential spaces making up the middle third and hotel and restaurants taking the top.

Most astonishing is the building's planned pace of development. With the steel core structure already currently being put into place, developers are aiming to build the basic structure for one and a half floors every week, for a completion date at the end of 2010. Already the core of the building is looming over the buildings of South London, with the basis for approximately half of the 80 floors currently in place. With its colossal size, The Shard is likely to be the most impressive of the new generation of skyscrapers to assert themselves on London’s historic skyline.

Though personal preference will dictate which of these developments become iconic structures and which are considered blots on the skyline, one thing is clear; things for the construction industry are certainly looking up.