by Brianna Crandall — September 26, 2014—British Land and Oxford Properties recently unveiled the new public space at the base of The Leadenhall Building following the completion of construction work. Spanning over half an acre, it is reportedly the largest area of publicly accessible space created in the City of London for a decade. To celebrate, the developers commissioned an exhibition in collaboration with New London Architecture that chronicles the vision behind the building and the cutting-edge construction techniques of London’s latest landmark. The exhibition is free to access and open until spring 2015.
The Leadenhall Building, designed by Graham Stirk of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, provides the highest office space in the City of London and has earned the nickname “The Cheesegrater” on account of its distinctive tapered profile, designed to protect backdrop views of St Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street.
Architecturally striking with a visible steel ladder frame and highly transparent glazed enclosure, the BREEAM Excellent office development totals 610,000 sq. ft. over 47 floors. A wide range of differing rectangular floor sizes provide a unique light-filled working environment, and give occupiers freedom to arrange their accommodation to optimize communication and efficiency.
The Leadenhall Building is equally recognizable at street level, with the building sitting atop sixteen inclined columns and braces creating a vast area of open space that reaches 28 meters in height. This seven-story area runs underneath the building and will open a new walking route from Bishopsgate through to Leadenhall Street that will be used by thousands of people every day, say the developers. Pre-leased agreements include tenants such as Aon and Amlin.
Protected from the elements by four glass windbreakers, the public area is intended to serve as a new meeting point in the heart of London, featuring tended lawns and trees, and a hard landscaped area that will play host to a range of events and activities, including the current celebratory exhibition. The public space will ultimately be integrated with the adjacent St. Helen’s Square in 2015, creating a 2,000 sq. ft. park-like area, offering city workers a green oasis in the heart of London’s densely developed Square Mile.
