Maps & Networks - Buildings Research

Whilst considering what buildings of London's iconic skyline I would recreate, I always had in mind how the buildings were built, when they were built and how much technology was used in the making of them. I decided to look into the buildings I liked the most which were The Shard, The Walkie Talkie and The Cheese Grater buildings. I chose these because they had funny names but then realised how impressive the architecture is and how without technology these buildings wouldn't look they way they do. 

The Shard 

The Shard is 309.6m, approximately 1016ft high.  

11,000 Glass panels 

44 lifts 

72 habitable floors 

15 more levels which are not used, 9 are exposed 

The ground floor is the plaza 

The second floor is retail space

4th floor to the 28th is office space and winter gardens 

31st to 33rd floor is restaurant space 

34th to 52nd floor is hotel space

53rd to 65th floor is residential space

68th to 72nd floor is viewing space

Tallest building in Europe

59th Tallest in the world  

designs started in 1999 and the project was completed in 2012

 Irvine Sellar imagined this building off of ships masts and London churches spires 

The Shard is used for many different things such as: offices, restaurants/bars, hotel and the view. Free to the public to go up and have a drink and food at the bar/restaurant. 

The "Walkie Talkie"

The building has a sky garden at the very top. 

36 Floors, 2 below ground 

Originally proposed in 2005 at a height of 220m high but had to be shortened as it was deemed too tall. 

It melted a car. This imposed an emergency rethink about the materials used on the building. 

Rafael Vinoly the architect distanced himself after the drama of the car scorching and quotes "My name is on it, but it is not my building" as his vision was shifted and shortened. 

The Canary Wharf Group took over construction of the building due to financial issues. 

A 3D model was used in the process to rethink the space. The construction team the created a 4D model which added time, this allowed them to work on each dimension of the building with an accurate time for how long it would take and when it would be completed. 

The "Cheese Grater" 

225m high

112 Leadenhall street, often named the Leadenhall Building or "The Cheese Grater" 

52 floors, and 4 floors below ground level 

26 elevators 

Used as office building 

Completed in 2014 

Architect: Rogers Stark Harbour 

Bibliography 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/05/23-facts-about-the-shard

https://www.the-shard.com/

https://www.insider-london.co.uk/10-facts-about-london-walkie-talkie-tower/

https://skygarden.london/sky-garden

http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-shard/451