Leadenhall Building / The Cheesegrater
122 Leadenhall Street
London
EC3
Visitor Information
Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Built: expected 2014
Size: 57,040m²
Developer: British Land
Engineer: Arup
A 50-storey tower nicknamed the ‘cheese-grater’ by City of London Planning Officer Peter Rees. The building, designed by the famous Richard Rogers and his partners, will stand opposite his iconic Lloyd’s of London building in the east of the City and have a distinctive tapering form which is said to protect views of St Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street. This tapered glass façade will reveal the building’s steel bracings and a ladder frame emphasising the sharp, vertical appearance of the tower. Controlled blinds will automatically adjust to limit unwanted solar gain and glare. The northern support core is conceived as a detached tower containing all passenger and goods lifts.
Inside, the office floors form rectangular plates which diminish in depth by 750 millimetres towards the apex. Office floors are connected to the structural ‘tube’ at every floor level without the need for secondary vertical columns at the perimeter. At the base will be a 30 metre high atrium which will form a seven-storey enclosed public space with shops, cafes and restaurants. Exterior glass lifts will be used, similar to those in Rogers’ 88 Wood Street. The building is expected to cost around £286m.