Urban regeneration goes beyond but existent estate development, although the latter may endure an of import catalyst to the former. As David Littlefield writes, urban regeneration involves an attempt to revitalize the social in addition to economical choices of a locality. In this sense, the procedure of regeneration of the London Bridge area, is i of the most of import urban developments inward London in addition to i of the most instance icons of this metropolis ahead of the Olympic Games 2012.
This procedure is presided yesteryear the Shard Tower (designed inward 2000, built 2009-2012), a monumental travel yesteryear the Italian architect Renzo Piano, standing equally the tallest tower inward Europe amongst its 1000 feet or 306 m. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 edifice equally powerful equally iconic, it necessarily brings enthusiasts in addition to detractors, both for the lineament of its architectural pattern in addition to urban relevance, equally for the demeanour on it has had on the London skyline.
The Shard in addition to Foster's City Hall to the left.
LOCATION
Located a few meters from the River Thames in addition to about the Tower Bridge, the Shard is located on an irregular plot adjacent to the London Bridge station, i of the most of import nodes of the city, which includes a educate station, 2 subway lines (or tube, equally it is called inward London) in addition to jitney interchange.
Before the Shard Tower inward 2002
The skyscraper replaced the Southwark Towers, a edifice yesteryear TP Bennett Architects (1975).
The Shard is Piano´s version of "a metropolis inward the sky", a concept cherished yesteryear humans since fourth dimension immemorial (a daring "punished" inward the biblical Babel) in addition to has had performances equally the Umeda Sky Building yesteryear Hiroshi Hara inward Osaka.
Piano's proposal resembles an irregular obelisk of faceted sides that gradient inward. These faces, however, produce non to run into at the apex, giving the final result that the building, equally seen from afar, would look to dissolve inward the sky.
It is said that the shape was inspired on the towers of the churches that populate London.
For some, the Shard tower equally good symbolizes London's power to ascent above the electrical current global economical crisis. Paradoxically, 80% of this massive urban renewal computer program are owned yesteryear Qatari investors.
PROGRAM
The edifice has been designed equally a vertical town, accommodating 8000 occupants inward an expanse of 54.488 m2. The computer program includes mixed uses (just similar the Burj Khalifa inward Dubai), such equally offices, shops, a five star hotel, luxury apartments in addition to a panoramic gallery on the top of the 72nd floor.
"The acme is extreme but the footprint is relatively small. The edifice consumes 1/5 of the liberate energy consumed yesteryear a hamlet of 8000 inhabitants." says Piano, emphasizing the environmental concerns in addition to the bespeak for densification of cities.
The edifice "breathe" through naturally ventilated "winter gardens", a concept that Piano has previously used inward his Aurora Place building in Commonwealth of Australia .
As of import equally the edifice is the pattern of world spaces in addition to carry services. The proposal includes an expansion of the jitney station, educate in addition to subway stations in addition to connector to H2O taxis on the banks of the Thames. Also included are world areas for recreation, fine art installations, cafés in addition to socialization areas.
CONTROVERSY
In an expanse equally of import equally London Bridge, inward a cosmopolitan metropolis similar London, it was necessary to inject urban life, social exchange, economical value in addition to at the same time, densify in addition to brand an efficient use of the precious infinite .
The construction of this megastructure had found, however, criticism in addition to controversy, mainly led yesteryear the arrangement English linguistic communication Heritage, who claim that this book distorts historic London's skyline, especially the iconic Cathedral of St. Paul (although the edifice acme was reduced from its original 400 m to 300 meters).
This is a procedure that had begun several years agone amongst the opening of the " Gherkin ", designed yesteryear Foster in addition to Partners," whose huge, gaudy buildings overshadowed a humble, nearly sugariness Tower of London, a World Heritage Site " inward words of UNESCO.
The Shard Tower persuasion from the Tower of London.
Catherine Bennett, inward his article " Is anyone going to seat a halt to the vandalism of the profile of London? "published inward The Observer, criticized the deformation of the skyline:
Does anyone, amongst the possible exception of bankers, desire a symbol of how London is "powering its agency out of the global recession"? ... But if, equally Londoners, we'd said oh yeah please, would nosotros select chosen this import from the Dubai schoolhouse of economical symbolism, erected inward a identify where it overturned, at a stroke of Prescott's pen, planning principles that protected the inner London skyline from speculators for one-half a century?
Renzo Piano responds to criticism:
"I select ever loved St Paul's, it is an icon of mine because it is a non bad building. It's fantastic. But when St Paul's was built, it was modern, but similar the Shard is modern now. It wasn't a classic at the time. It became a classic."
Sir Richard Rogers, a consultant to the Greater London Authority in addition to equally good a friend of Piano in addition to equally good co-author of the controversial (and today applauded) Pompidou Center inward Paris said:
"The edifice is a masterpiece of architecture in addition to pattern ... the contrast betwixt the dome of St Paul’s in addition to the transparent drinking glass spire of the Shard reinforces the cathedral’s silhouette."
It is undeniable that, fifty-fifty without its completion, the building's visual demeanour on on the surround is enormous, especially due to the opened upward persuasion from the Thames.
Photo courtesy of vulture labs
And although at that topographic point is no denying the lineament of pattern of the Italian master, perchance the most serious employment is to opened upward a precedent for many novel interventions, which seek to emulate or surpass the acme of the Shard, but non necessarily quality.
High ascent buildings nether construction, approved in addition to planned inward London
SEE ALSO
SKYSCARPERS
- Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE (Thomas Wright)
- Burj Dubai (or Burj Khalifa), UAE, Dubai (Smith/SOM)
- Oriental Pearl, Shanghai, China. Jia Huan Cheng (1991-95)
- Umeda Sky Buiding, Osaka, Japan. Hiroshi Hara (1993)
