London’s Skyscrapers are iconic and have transformed the view of London over many decades.
Plans lodged by ever ambitious developers in recent years include three towering builds over 900ft in the City of London – with one just 17 feet shorter than the Shard, Europe’s tallest building.
And Canary Wharf is seeing innovative new designs, including a ‘Spire’ that would be Britain’s tallest residential structure, and an apartment building which boasts a sprawling indoor garden on its 27th floor.
Many of these projects are still in the planning stages, even though some have 2021 completion dates. This is due to the uncertainty and impact of Brexit and the aftermath of the financial crash.
Coronavirus was a pandemic that caused significant delays in building new buildings. The shift from office work to home led to fears about a decline in demand for space.
According to Deloitte, 50 per cent of new construction starts and 50 per cent of completions were delayed last year in the middle of the pandemic lockdown.
Last month saw the unexpected rejection of The Tulip. This was a “phallic-shaped” observation tower which would have been soaring above the City of London.
Effective Covid vaccines have helped to lift restrictions around the globe. The finance firm predicts a sustained period as “investor appetite will grow with pent up demand” in 2022.
There are an incredible 587 ‘tall buildings’ in the pipeline in London – with 310 granted full planning permission and 127 under consideration, according to New London Architecture’s annual review.
In 2020, there were 10.8 percent more tall building planning permits than in 2019. This was the third consecutive year of an increase in tall building permissions.
Peter Murray of New London Architecture conducts an annual skyscraper survey.
“This optimism is buoyed both by a short-term shortage in supply and a flight to quality by office occupiers, who want to encourage employees to go back to work.
This article by the Mail describes what will become London’s most iconic landmarks in the coming years and how they can overcome them.
The skyline of London is expected to shift dramatically in the coming decade thanks to a number of skyscrapers that will transform Canary Wharf, London and other parts of the capital. Photo: This graphic shows how London’s skyline will look when 100 Leadenhall is built, which has been nicknamed the Diamond, and 1 Undershaft is nicknamed the Trellis. Following an appeal, the Housing Secretary has rejected the bulb-shaped Tulip Building.
A series of images released by the City of London Corporation recently showcased the Square Mile’s construction projects. As the government still awaits a planning decision, it’s notable not to be there.
PLANNED – The Trellis building, located at 1 Undershaft (also in London’s Square Mile), would be at 290m the tallest building of the City. Although the planning permission has allowed demolition to take place, the building could still be many years away from completion.
The 90,000 square-metre tower, named The Trellis for its unique crossbrace facades and height, will be raised 10 meters above the ground in order to create an open space below.
The Trellis, 1 Undershaft – 951ft (290m): PLANNED
Since central London buildings are restricted to a height of less than 1,000ft, architects love pushing the envelope with their designs. The project at 1 Undershaft in London is a good example.
The Trellis, at 951ft (290m) tall will be just 66 feet shorter than the capital’s tallest building, The Shard, across the river.
The new Square Mile peak will be 73 feet high. It will dwarf prime office space rivals The Cheesegrater or The Gherkin.
This project’s location in the “cluster” of high-rise buildings was chosen to protect the sightlines for St Paul’s Cathedral & Monument. But with so many people looking to develop office space in London, this ecosystem has been enriched by a new set of shining glass-fronted skyscrapers.
After a long planning battle by Aroland Holdings, Singaporean developers, the project was approved. The City of London Corporation gave permission to demolish the Aviva Tower in order to replace it by The Trellis.
The Trellis, named after its distinctive crossbrace facades along each side, will be lifted 33 feet above the ground to make a public open space below.
There are also plans for a ‘generous’ space at the top of the building for a free public viewing gallery, education centre, exhibition space and London’s highest public restaurant.
According to the company that built it, there will be 1,200 employees in its office. However, how much will this be taken up remains to be seen.
Companies have been forced to alter their working methods over the past 18 months by coronavirus. Many are closing down or downsizing as a result.
Now, there is concern that massive developments like Trellis could be put on hold by developers worried about being abandoned.
Deloitte Consultants said that some of the largest construction plans are likely to stop as workers continue to work remotely. Others will restart in 2021.
Last year Deloitte’s London crane survey estimated construction delays of up to six months and a knock-on effect on completions of space. Some projects are now thriving and have succeeded.
AWAITING APPROVAL Although the application was denied by Sadiq Khan of London, it could be approved by Michael Gove, Housing Secretary.
The Tulip is a tourist attraction located in London, with high-viewing platforms and a restaurant.
The Tulip, 20 Bury Street – 1000ft (305m): APPEAL REJECTED
The Tulip was nicknamed “the sperm” and is described as “a lift shaft that has a bulge at the top”. It’s certainly one of London’s most challenging and controversial large-scale project proposals.
At 1000 feet, the City of London would become the second-tallest attraction in Western Europe behind the Shard.
The Housing Secretary Michael Gove made a surprising move and rejected Bus after backers appealed against Sadiq Khan’s decision to stop development.
Foster + Partners has designed the building. The viewing platform will feature rotating pods and a sky bar. There will also be cycle parking, shower facilities, and access to a rooftop terrace.
Historic England and Historic Royal Palaces objected to the plans for ‘reducing the visual dominance of the Tower of London’ just a month after they were submitted in November 2018, but they were rubber-stamped by the City of London Corporation soon after.
However, because of London’s planning system, Mayor Sadiq Khan was able to overrule and reject the application for the tower, saying it would do ‘harm’ to London’s skyline.
Khan spokesperson stated that Khan had serious concerns regarding the application. He has also studied it thoroughly and has rejected permission to implement a plan that he feels would have very little public benefit.
“The proposals will also create an unsafe and poorly designed public space at street-level.”
However, Mr Khan’s final decision is not binding. He can be overruled by Michael Gove, the Housing Secretary.
Mr Gove’s predecessor, Robert Jenrick, had been poised to make a decision on the building’s fate in September before he was booted out of the cabinet.
According to briefings to the Telegraph Whitehall officials were said to have sided with the City of London. However, the decision was made on November 11 and it was rejected.
A 210-page report from the government’s planning inspectorate found it to be ‘poor and unsympathetic to the historical context’ of the capital, as well as being ‘poorly designed’ and of ‘very limited public benefit’.
The project’s developers said in a statement: ‘We are disappointed by the UK Government’s decision to refuse planning permission for The Tulip. This project, in our view, was an opportunity to confirm London’s global-leading position in architecture, education and tourism.
The original proposal stated that the structure would weigh as much as 80 fully loaded Airbus A380s and have a footprint of half the size of one plane.
It will also include glass observation levels, supported by concrete shafts that provide a bird’s-eye view of London.
Three spinning gondola pods will also be attached to the summit, and the application claimed it could boost the local economy by £1billion and create 600 full-time jobs.
A survey of Londoners by architects found that nearly two thirds thought it would be an excellent addition to the City.
TWO, 22 Bishopsgate (912ft): COMPLETED
After topping out at a huge 912ft shortly before the start of the pandemic, 22 Bishopsgate – the Square Mile’s biggest office building – faced a very uncertain future as workers stopped coming into the office.
‘TwentyTwo’ was originally given planning permission in 2015 when demand for prime office space was still high, and developers could expect to fill much of the 1.3 million sq/ft without a struggle.
At peak lockdown however, it was reported that 60 per cent of the UK workforce were working from home, with many businesses struggling to cover expensive office overheads and rental negotiations stalling.
But since its quiet completion in December 2020, while the city remained empty, Bishopgate’s 51 available floors have slowly but surely been filled.
Websites for the building indicate that Nasdaq Investment Managers, Hiscox Investment Managers and Nasdaq are just a few of the 33-floor tenants. It is part of the companies which helped to fund the scheme.
Lipton Rogers Developments LLP built the upper levels. They include a club, skybar, restaurant and viewing gallery.
It has been described by contractor Multiplex as ‘Europe’s first vertical village’ for targeting the International WELL Building Standard to create an ‘inspiring, healthy and energising workplace’.
This includes London’s largest cycle park with around 1,700 bike spaces, a gym with climbing window 125m above ground, and its own fresh food market for employees.
The project used twice the amount of steel on the Eiffel Tower to create its frame, and was reported to be worth £1.5 billion.
COMPLETED – 22 Bishopsgate, (pictured middle), replaced The Pinnacle as a project to create a ‘peak for’ the group of skyscrapers which now dominates London’s City of London. This was the final major skyscraper built before the pandemic.
The project used twice the amount of steel taken to construct the Eiffel Tower to create its frame, and was reported to be worth £1.5 billion. So far 33 of its 51 available office floors have been filled
100 Leadenhall – 860ft (263m): PLANNED
Despite its attractive nickname ‘The Diamond’, it is unclear how much the office-space project planned for 100 Leadenhall St will be allowed to glisten under planning rules to prevent reflected glare.
The 56-storey tower The Diamond (centre), will transform London’s skyline. At 814ft, it will also be the City of London’s third tallest building.
Built for Leadenhall St, this 56-storey tower will join Square Mile’s growing collection of skyscrapers. When complete it will be the tallest building in the financial district.
Because of its substantial tapering, the building is often called the “big brother” to the Cheesegrater located at 122 Leadenhall St.
Lai Sun Development in Hong Kong, the backers of this project, wants to expand office space within the city by more that 1.15M sq/ft. The owners claim that their new building will help to maintain London’s position as a financial center worldwide.
The ambitious project is good hands, having been designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the architects behind One World Trade Center in New York and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The City’s planning committee and transportation committee voted 22-2 in favor of the new building in 2018, despite objections from St Paul’s Cathedral regarding the sight line.
However, work cannot begin on the project because the site is currently occupied by three retail and office buildings.
It is estimated that construction will take about four years and the existing leases will be terminated in 2023.
Kent Jackson, SOM’s design partner said that the City of London is an exceptional combination of heritage assets and some of the best-known buildings of today. SOM is honored to have been a part this legacy.
“Our approach to building is sensitive to the rich historical context, while simultaneously designing landmark buildings that combine our architecture and sustainability sensibilities into an iconic design.
This 56-story tower, which will rise to 100 Leadenhall St., will join Square Mile’s growing collection of skyscrapers. When it is completed, it will be the third-tallest structure in the financial district.
The Diamond building at 100 Leadenhall St (highlighted in blue) will help create the ‘mountain peak’ formation of skyscrapers in the City of London’s cluster
An image released by the City of London Corporation shows how the City skyline could look by 2026 when current construction projects such as 1 Undershaft and the Diamond are completed
ON HOLD – Riverside South towers, or the proposed development of a skyscraper at Canary Wharf. JP Morgan, an investment bank, purchased a 99-year lease for the site. It has been finished to ground level and is currently in hold
For now, the site is boarded with cover over towers’ basements. JP Morgan has not yet indicated when they will return to building.
Riverside South, Canary Wharf 778ft (237m),: ON HOLD
Riverside South is still in the basement, despite efforts to finish them. The JP Morgan-backed project remains on hold after an uncertain decade. This includes Brexit and the financial crash.
The site, one of only a few suitable for a skyscraper project left on the Docklands area has had a chequered history.
The site looks westwards over River Thames and was proposed for development in 2004. An original plan to build two towers – one north, and one south tower, measuring 702 feet and 620 feet, were approved.
Then before the financial crash in April 2007, a new application was put in to increase the buildings’ height to 773ft and 702ft and significantly increase floorspace. The changes would make the project the tallest building on Canary Wharf – eclipsing One Canada Square by around a metre – and would be among the largest offices in Europe.
Richard Rogers Partnership has designed the site’s design. His previous works include landmarks like Lloyd’s building, Millennium Dome, and Cheesegrater.
JP Morgan & Co, keen on expansion at the time, purchased a 999-year lease on the site from Canary Wharf Group in November 2008 for £237 million.
For the foundation of basement levels, concrete was used in 2009 to pour the concrete. The elements reached the ground by 2010.
But as the global financial crisis squeezed the bank, JP Morgan were forced to abandon their plans and headed for an office on 25 Bank Street, the former European headquarters of collapsed Lehman Brothers.
Now, the site is boarded with cover over basements. JP Morgan’s plans to resume construction are not known.
Pictured is the Isle of dogs (left), showing the first sections of One Canada Square between the Quays. To the right can be seen the Capital’s Financial District today
PLANNED : A 771 foot-tall Spire was approved by the Isle of Dogs West India Quay in 2016, to be the tallest residential tower of Europe. But the project was not approved beyond the hoardings that sealed off the area.
The Spire is currently being reconstructed, but work has halted as residents of the Skyscraper’s upper floors will only be able to access one escape staircase.
The Spire at West India Quay, 771ft (773m): ON HOLD
It’s one of London’s most ambitious and ambitious buildings. The Spire, if it ever gets completed, would be the tallest residential building of Europe. This title is not currently held by London.
The planned Canary Wharf skyscraper will stand at a jaw-dropping 771ft tall according to its latest designs and is rumoured to be costing around £800 million to construct.
When completed, the block will have 861 luxury apartments that offer panoramic views over London.
However, work on The Spire has ground to a halt after it was revealed residents on the upper floors of the skyscraper would only have access to one escape stairwell.
According to safety experts, the building will require at least two staircases to support its hulking structure. This is in order for it be safe for residents.
Questions have been raised about the final project’s design after it was revealed that there were no safety measures.
Russ Timpson, secretary of the Tall Building Fire Safety Network, said: ‘I am reminded of the Titanic and the fact there were not enough lifeboats for the passengers. They told us to “Don’t worry.” It will not sink,” they said.
According to current regulations, tall commercial buildings must provide at least two exit stairways in the event of an emergency or fire.
Residential properties do not have to meet the exact same requirements and only need to offer one route out.
According to another fire safety consultant, “If you are building an office block over 36ft in the country, you will need two staircases.” However, it is possible to build a residential tower with just one stairwell.
Since 2018, the project was pretty much at a halt, with only muddy water collecting on the site.
Canary Wharf, like the Riverside Towers has been plagued by unlucky form due to recent skyscraper constructions.
Greenland Group in China, the developer of this scheme, stated that they were launching an evaluation of the design for the purpose to establish a’most current design specification.
A developer also stated that he was reviewing the economics of the project due to the recent volatility in London’s real estate market.
Greenland’s spokesperson stated that the demolition of the building was complete and that the ground work phase for the development has been started. This will allow for construction of further phases.
“Construction is temporarily halted until we determine our forward program.
“It is our complete intention to move the development forward as we continue building our presence on the UK property market. This reflects our long-standing experience in planning, designing, and delivering similar developments all over the globe.
The Landmark Pinnacle on the edge of Canary Wharf is attracting high levels of demand for its brand new 752 apartments and state-of-the-art penthouses starting from £597,000. This building will be finished by the end this year.
Landmark Pinnacle has an indoor garden with benches, sofas, and trees around the plants. It also includes a children’s playground and space for table tennis.
The River Thames and iconic landmarks such as The Shard or St Paul’s are visible from the summit.
Landmark Pinnacle Canary Wharf 764ft (233m).
The Spire tower is still a vision of the future, however builders are finishing up Landmark Pinnacle, which will be the new title holder for residential buildings.
The Pinnacle Tower has been in high demand, despite the fact that it is not yet finished despite apparent attempts by urban dwellers to flee to the country to join the work from home revolution.
The 75-storey development will contain 752 apartments, with a one-bedroom home starting from £597,000 and the majority already snapped up before it is completed.
There are also penthouses, which can reach into the millions but their exact price has not been revealed.
Chalegrove Properties developer Rami Atallah stated that “The tower offers the type of 360 degrees aspects you’d only get to when flying into the City.”
The River Thames and iconic landmarks such as The Shard or St Paul’s can be seen from the summit.
Buyers have exclusive access to many other resident’s facilities, which they only can access. These include roof gardens and cinemas as well as a gym and cinema, a virtual golf course and simulator, two private dining rooms, and two separate eating areas.
This tower is primarily residential and faces the biggest drawback to inner-city living: an entire floor dedicated to an indoor gardening square.
The green space will be mirrored in a traditional and attractive London square. It measures approximately 8,700 feet and is three times bigger than a tennis courts.
Landmark Pinnacle’s indoor garden will feature benches and sofas around trees and shrubs, along with a play area for children and table tennis.
Atallah stated that the indoor garden floor was unlike any other in London. The first indoor garden floor in London that spans such an extensive area of space, and is open to residents regardless of weather conditions, is this one.
The Sky Garden, located at 20 Fenchurch Street is one of London’s most visited attractions. Also known as the Walkie-talkie Building.
The garden is available for free but you must make a reservation. It does not belong to a residential area. The Landmark Garden, however, is larger than this one.
Chalegrove Properties spokesperson said that construction on Landmark Pinnacle is nearing completion and would be completed in the New Year.
“Residents are already moving in and there is still a strong demand for these few apartments due to the stunning views and the lasting appeal of Canary Wharf.”
London is home to 587 “tall buildings” – 310 of which have received full planning permission, and the other 127 being considered according to New London Architecture’s annual review
London’s Square Mile, circa 2015 (left), and a number of construction projects planned including the Trellis or Diamond buildings (right).
One of the most impressive towers in the city is the 60-storey Newfoundland Tower Block at Canary Wharf. It was opened for rent in May 2021 and stands at 720 ft (220m) tall, just below the Cheesegrater