LONDON | London Bridge Tower - "The Shard" | 1,017 FT / 310 M | 87 FLOORS

[wjfox2004]

Can't believe we don't have a thread for this already... it's one of the biggest towers going up in Europe. Demolition has now started.

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London Bridge Tower - the "Shard"
Southwark SE1

Height: 310m
Floors: 72 + 15 radiator levels
Architect: Renzo Piano
Developer: Sellar Property Group

Links:
Official website
Renzo Piano Building Workshop
SkyscraperNews.com listing
Station redevelopment
SSC thread
Construction timetable displayed on the current site


Notes:
- Irvine Sellar's landmark tower, dubbed the "Shard of Glass" by the media, will be the first building in the UK to break the
1000ft barrier. It will be nearly twice the height of SwissRe, and could become the tallest building in Western Europe.

- London's first truly "mixed use" tower, the floors will be divided as follows:
http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscr...orsdiagram.jpg

- At the lower levels, the skyscraper will extend the existing public concourse and open up routes connecting Guy's Hospital,
King's College and the southern residential areas to the business communities stretching along the river.

- 30% less energy will be required than for a conventional tall building through the extensive use of the latest
conservation and recycling techniques and materials. A ventilated double skin façade will considerably reduce heat gain
and increase comfort close to the facade. Excess heat from the offices will be used to heat the hotel and apartments
and any additional excess heat will be dissipated naturally through a 16-storey radiator at the top of the tower.
Winter gardens with operable louvre windows will be located on each floor allowing the occupants to connect with
the outside world.

- Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the tower was structurally redesigned to improve stability and reduce
evacuation times.

- The total cost of the project is in excess of £1.2bn and includes major refurbishment of London Bridge tube and
bus stations, along with other local transport improvements.

- Following objections from English Heritage, and a lengthy public inquiry, London Bridge Tower was given final approval by the
Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on 19th November 2003. The tower has since gained tenants - Shangri-La Hotels,
who will be occupying floors 34-52 - and Transport for London who will take a large chunk of the office space.


Current Status:
Under construction! The tower is scheduled to be topped-out by the end of 2010, and is due to open in 2012 - a few weeks before the Olympic Games.
























Image credit: Chest

[wjfox2004]

A rendering of my own, showing its place in the future skyline.

Note: full size panorama can be viewed by clicking here.

[wjfox2004]

And a couple of recent demolition pics, courtesy of CranesEtc from SSC -

[JManc]

to bad guys hospital will continue to grace its fuglyness next to the shard.

[wjfox2004]

Actually, there are rumours it could be given a reclad. It sure as hell needs one...

[JManc]

that would be quite a feat. i like brutalism but that's just bad.

[FrancoRey]

When were these taken? The Thames looks VERY high...

Can't wait to see the Shard be a go, btw. And yes, the antiqated Guys Hos. could use some love.

[Shep]

Your a World of Info wjfox!

Carry on now! because I for one really appreciate it!

[wjfox2004]

Looks like the financing problems could be resolved...

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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=ap7TLu7EUUj8

QInvest to Buy Majority of London `Shard,' Property Week Says

By Simon Packard

Dec. 21 (Bloomberg) -- QInvest, a bank owned by investors from the Gulf states, is poised to become the majority owner in the London skyscraper development known as the `Shard,' Property Week reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

QInvest will buy the 33 percent stakes of CLS Holdings Plc and Simon Halabi and part of the stake of Sellar Property, the weekly magazine said. Spokesmen for the three parties declined to comment on the magazine's report.

Earlier this week QInvest Chief Executive Officer Abdul Latif Almeer said during a press conference that the bank was helping in an unnamed 1.4 billion-pound ($2.78 billion) real estate project in London, Property Week said.

The Renzo Piano-designed tower project is expected to cost at least 800 million pounds to build.

To contact the reporter on this story: Simon Packard in London at packard@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: December 21, 2007 07:37 EST

[wjfox2004]

My latest video on YouTube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDCyeX-sbVg

If you have a YouTube account, please rate this!

[Aleks]

OMG! HOW COULD I MISS THIS? This is one of the best skyscrapers going up now. I thought it was canceled for some reason. How can so many posts be on the Burj Dubai thread when this buildings is sooooo much better.

Guy's Tower wouldn't be so ugly if the bird head at the top wasn't there. I wonder how new cladding will look for this tower? It won't be easy choosing a color and design since people know it has a horrible looking building.

[pablosan]

Wow, this is an awesome looking project.

[kenratboy]

This is one project that just MUST happen. Great design, and it will set a precedent for more tall construction in the UK and across Europe.

[wjfox2004]

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...de=3103630&c=1





CLS loses £25m on sale of Shard stake

17:14 | 10.01.08

CLS Holdings’ shares crashed 5.5% this afternoon after it revealed it had sold its one-third stake in the Shard development at London Bridge at a loss of £25m.

By David Doyle

CLS said it had sold its interest in the London Bridge Quarter project, which comprises the Shard and neighbouring New London Bridge House, to Zijaj for £30m in cash. Zijaj is believed to be a consortium of Qatari investors, linked to bank QInvest, which Property Week revealed was buying out CLS and another one-third shareholder Simon Halabi (21.12.07).

CLS said the £30m sale price reflected a loss of £25m, or 37p a share. ‘This sale has been achieved despite the significant adverse change in the commercial property and lending environment since June,’ the company said.

The sale of Halabi’s stake is expected to take place imminently. As part of the whole deal Zijaj is also expected to buy part of Irvine Sellar's one-third stake, reducing his holding in the skyscraper scheme to around 20%. This would give the Qataris an 80% share in a scheme, which has a projected end value of £1.4bn.

The funding arrangement for the Shard, which has estimated construction costs of more than £800m, could finally enable the Renzo Piano-designed scheme to be developed.

[FrancoRey]

Who cares who now owns it or who lost money on it. BUILD IT I SAY!!!

[SkyscraperMan]

Impressive. Great for London!

[wjfox2004]

"...It is understood that Mace is on the verge of two other significant contract appointments in the capital. Sources close to the Shard, at London Bridge, said that the £350m Sellar Properties development was 'on the brink of securing funding' this week. He said Mace would be appointed to build it on a fixed-price contract 'imminently'..."

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?...de=3104061&c=0

[Nowhereman1280]

Love this building, good to see funding is coming along!

[Rico Rommheim]

Nicest building u/c in the world as far as I'm concerned

[wjfox2004]

At last, the confirmation we've been waiting for...

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http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...de=3104277&c=1

Qatari consortium set up
to develop ‘The Shard’

09:05 | 22.01.08

Irvine Sellar’s Sellar Property Group today announced it had set up a new consortium to carry out its £2bn Shard skyscraper development at London Bridge Station.

By Deirdre Hipwell

As revealed by Property Week (news 21.12.07) the consortium will comprise four Qatari banks - Qatari Islamic Investment bank QInvest, Qatar National Bank, Qatari Islamic Bank and Barwa – and Sellar Property Group. Each party has bought 20% of the issued share capital of the company.

Sellar said the consortium, fronted by QInvest, was set up after a years’ negotiation with the Qatari investors which have bought both CLS Holdings and Simon Halabi’s Family Trust’s interests in the proposed 2m sq ft mixed-use London Bridge Quarter.

QInvest’s chief executive officer Professor Abdul Latif Almeer said: ‘Our investment in this £2bn development not only reflects our admiration for what has already been achieved in getting the scheme to its present level, but also underpins our confidence in the London commercial real estate market.’

Qatar Islamic Bank chief executive officer Salah Jaidah said: ‘Our investment in London Bridge Quarter represents a positive conclusion of nine months of negotiations, during which time QInvest and QIB took the lead and initiated the idea of creating the consortium of Qatari banks.

'It is also the first time that a consortium of Qatari banks has been formed to invest in an international project of this kind and we are proud to be part of it.’

Sellar Property Group, led by Irvine and his son James Sellar, will continue as developers of the Renzo Piano-designed Shard and will also develop the entire integrated scheme that includes the neighbouring New London Bridge, which will be renamed London Bridge Place.

The estimated build costs for the project are £1.4bn and the Qatari-based investors will provide a majority of the initial construction finance. James Sellar said the consortium planned to ‘fast track the construction of the Quarter enabling us to complete construction by the end 2011’.