A Cut Above
One of London’s most exciting developments in living memory is beginning to come to life T
owering over the London skyline at 1,016ft, Te Shard is now the tallest building in Western Europe and features office and retail space,
high-end restaurants, a five star hotel and the 10 highest residences in the UK. Te ambitious development, a joint
enterprise between the Sellar Property Group and the State of Qatar, is the focal point of the £2bn London Bridge Quarter project, which also includes the redevelopment of London Bridge Station and ‘Te Place’, an adjoining 428,000 sq ft office and retail offer that was completed last year. Te Shard, which was three years in
construction, replaced Southwark Towers, a 24-storey office block that formerly occupied the site. Te vision of Irvine Sellar, the Essex multi-millionaire behind the project, was to utilise and enhance the existing transport infrastructure in the South Bank area and extend the focus of the capital south of the river. He said: “London Bridge Quarter is investing in an area with a great history and potential that has been neglected over the past few decades. Our development will work to create one of the most exciting business districts in London, shifting the City south of the river.” Te striking 72-storey building was
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designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, whose previous work has included the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Te Italian first discussed the project with Sellar at the turn of the millennium and, from its infancy, Te Shard has not been without its fair share of controversy, predominantly owing to its dominant stature. In late 2007 the viability
of the project looked uncertain, owing to the precarious financial climate, and it wasn’t until January 2008 that the project was placed on a secure financial footing, when a consortium of Qatari investors bought a majority stake in the development, providing the first tranche of funding. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud Al Tani, Governor of Qatar Central Bank, said: “Te Shard is the newest London landmark and a beacon of the city’s resilience and expansion, even during tough economic times. It is a symbol of Qatar’s belief and commitment to London both today and in the future. We have a long heritage and continued commitment to invest and build in the UK for the long term and Te Shard highlights this close relationship.” Te View from the Shard, the highest public space in the building, opened its doors in February this year, offering visitors a 360° view of the capital and beyond. Visitors can speed their way up to the attraction via the lifts at a rate of 6 metres per second and also visit the most elevated shop in the UK for a memento. Te experience doesn’t come cheap, however, with a family of four unlikely to see much change from £100 for the privilege. Andy Nyberg, Te View from Te Shard CEO, said: “Te View from Te Shard is the only place you can see the whole of London all at
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