Heron Tower
Encyclopedia
Heron Tower, also referred to as 110 Bishopsgate, is a skyscraper
owned by Heron International
in the City of London
. It was completed in 2011. It stands 230 metres tall including its 28 metre mast, or 202 metres (663 ft) excluding the mast - making it the tallest building in the City of London and the third tallest building in London as a whole, after 1 Canada Square in Canary Wharf
and the Shard London Bridge
.
, the height of the tower was planned to be 183 metres, identical to that of the City's then tallest building, Tower 42
.
The building attracted controversy when first announced, due to its proximity to St Paul's Cathedral
when viewed from Waterloo Bridge
. English Heritage
was the most vocal of the groups expressing concerns. A public inquiry was subsequently held, the outcome of which was decided by the then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
, who ruled in the developers' favour. The tower was given final approval in July 2002.
Three years later, the project had yet to begin construction. In September 2005 the Heron Property Corporation submitted a planning application to increase the height of its approved tower. Heron's revised plans now proposed a 202 metres (663 ft) tall tower topped by a 28 metres (92 ft) mast, giving it a 230 metres (755 ft) total height. Although the design was largely identical to the previous scheme, the tower's crown and southern façades were refined. In January 2006, the revised project was approved by the City of London Corporation.
, allowing it to achieve a BREEAM
rating of 'Excellent' in January 2010.
, the firm that had erected the Gherkin
, as main contractor, works began on site in mid 2007.
Full construction began in April 2008, with foundation piles and steel rebar
cages being installed, while the first tower crane was erected in June. In August a second tower crane was erected, followed by a third and final crane in September. In early October, the first steel beams appeared on site, with the core visible above street level. In November, steelwork temporarily finished, and concrete was poured for the base slabs. Pouring of concrete continued until Christmas.
Steelwork recommenced on January 19, 2009. Speed of construction then increased, with floors being constructed in sets of two, with each set taking a planned fortnight to construct. The first cladding was applied on 22 May.
In July, Heron International, Skanska and Kohn Pedersen Fox held a Time Capsule Ceremony at the Heron Tower site, marking the sealing of the building's foundations. The time capsule contained a number of items of significance to Heron Tower and also included an ethically sourced tortoise shell, in line with Feng Shui
principles.
In October 2009 the tower was at 34 floors standing at just over 150 metres, meaning it was defined as a skyscraper. In mid-October, construction reached the tower's first 'setback' - the '3 storey village' construction over, and the last 50 metres of the building to be constructed, forming the top of the tower, followed by the spire to top out the building. In early November 2009 it overtook the 164m Broadgate Tower
, making it the third tallest building in the City. By the end of 2009, construction reached the 44th floor, overtaking Tower 42
as the tallest building in the City of London, a record it had held for 30 years. Christmas lights were also added to the cranes in December.
On 12 April 2010, Heron International held a 'topping out' ceremony to celebrate the building's structural completion, attended by the Lord Mayor of London
. On 22 July 2010, the spire was added, taking the height of the building to 230 metres.
In January 2011, the Aquarium was delivered and installed. The building is now officially open and in use.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
owned by Heron International
Heron International
Heron International is a United Kingdom based property development company. Founded by the Ronson family as a furniture retailer, it came to prominence in the 1980s as the UK's largest operator of self-service petrol stations...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It was completed in 2011. It stands 230 metres tall including its 28 metre mast, or 202 metres (663 ft) excluding the mast - making it the tallest building in the City of London and the third tallest building in London as a whole, after 1 Canada Square in Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
and the Shard London Bridge
Shard London Bridge
Shard London Bridge is a skyscraper under construction in Southwark, London. When completed in May 2012, it will be the tallest building in the European Union and the 45th-tallest building in the world, standing tall...
.
Design and planning
Designed by architects Kohn Pedersen FoxKohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
, the height of the tower was planned to be 183 metres, identical to that of the City's then tallest building, Tower 42
Tower 42
Tower 42 is the second tallest skyscraper in the City of London and the fifth tallest in London overall. The original name was the National Westminster Tower, having been built to house the National Westminster Bank's International Division. Seen from above, the tower closely resembles the NatWest...
.
The building attracted controversy when first announced, due to its proximity to St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
when viewed from Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815...
. English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
was the most vocal of the groups expressing concerns. A public inquiry was subsequently held, the outcome of which was decided by the then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
, who ruled in the developers' favour. The tower was given final approval in July 2002.
Three years later, the project had yet to begin construction. In September 2005 the Heron Property Corporation submitted a planning application to increase the height of its approved tower. Heron's revised plans now proposed a 202 metres (663 ft) tall tower topped by a 28 metres (92 ft) mast, giving it a 230 metres (755 ft) total height. Although the design was largely identical to the previous scheme, the tower's crown and southern façades were refined. In January 2006, the revised project was approved by the City of London Corporation.
Interior
Heron Tower was designed to feature a concierge-style entrance and reception area, incorporating a 70,000 litre aquarium with a shark and 1,300 other fish. There will be a restaurant and sky bar - both open to the public - on floors 38-40. Situated 175m above Bishopsgate and accessed by scenic lifts from a dedicated entrance on Bishopsgate, the restaurant and bar will have external terraces.Environment
Heron Tower utilises photovoltaic cells to generate renewable energyRenewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, allowing it to achieve a BREEAM
BREEAM
BRE Environmental Assessment Method is a voluntary measurement rating for green buildings that was established in the UK by the Building Research Establishment . Since its inception it has since grown in scope and geographically, being exported in various guises across the globe...
rating of 'Excellent' in January 2010.
Construction
In March 2007, it was confirmed that Heron had signed a funding deal with the State General Reserve Fund of the Sultanate of Oman to provide the equity for the development. Following the appointment of SkanskaSkanska
Skanska AB, is a multinational construction and development company based in Sweden, where it also is the largest construction company. The company's head office is in Solna, north of Stockholm.-History:...
, the firm that had erected the Gherkin
30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe, the Swiss Re Building , is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London, completed in December 2003 and opened at the end of May 2004...
, as main contractor, works began on site in mid 2007.
Full construction began in April 2008, with foundation piles and steel rebar
Rebar
A rebar , also known as reinforcing steel, reinforcement steel, rerod, or a deformed bar, is a common steel bar, and is commonly used as a tensioning device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures holding the concrete in compression...
cages being installed, while the first tower crane was erected in June. In August a second tower crane was erected, followed by a third and final crane in September. In early October, the first steel beams appeared on site, with the core visible above street level. In November, steelwork temporarily finished, and concrete was poured for the base slabs. Pouring of concrete continued until Christmas.
Steelwork recommenced on January 19, 2009. Speed of construction then increased, with floors being constructed in sets of two, with each set taking a planned fortnight to construct. The first cladding was applied on 22 May.
In July, Heron International, Skanska and Kohn Pedersen Fox held a Time Capsule Ceremony at the Heron Tower site, marking the sealing of the building's foundations. The time capsule contained a number of items of significance to Heron Tower and also included an ethically sourced tortoise shell, in line with Feng Shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....
principles.
In October 2009 the tower was at 34 floors standing at just over 150 metres, meaning it was defined as a skyscraper. In mid-October, construction reached the tower's first 'setback' - the '3 storey village' construction over, and the last 50 metres of the building to be constructed, forming the top of the tower, followed by the spire to top out the building. In early November 2009 it overtook the 164m Broadgate Tower
Broadgate Tower
The Broadgate Tower is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London. It was constructed from 2005 to 2009 and is currently the fourth tallest building in the City of London....
, making it the third tallest building in the City. By the end of 2009, construction reached the 44th floor, overtaking Tower 42
Tower 42
Tower 42 is the second tallest skyscraper in the City of London and the fifth tallest in London overall. The original name was the National Westminster Tower, having been built to house the National Westminster Bank's International Division. Seen from above, the tower closely resembles the NatWest...
as the tallest building in the City of London, a record it had held for 30 years. Christmas lights were also added to the cranes in December.
On 12 April 2010, Heron International held a 'topping out' ceremony to celebrate the building's structural completion, attended by the Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
. On 22 July 2010, the spire was added, taking the height of the building to 230 metres.
In January 2011, the Aquarium was delivered and installed. The building is now officially open and in use.
Heron Plaza
Heron Tower will form the centrepiece of Heron International's Heron Plaza development on the 110 Bishopsgate site, incorporating new public spaces and a network of squares and gardens. In July 2009, Heron International confirmed that it had signed heads of terms with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to develop a mixed-use project as a component of Heron Plaza. In January 2011, Heron announced that planning permission for the development had been secured.See also
- City of London landmarks
- Tower 42Tower 42Tower 42 is the second tallest skyscraper in the City of London and the fifth tallest in London overall. The original name was the National Westminster Tower, having been built to house the National Westminster Bank's International Division. Seen from above, the tower closely resembles the NatWest...
- 30 St Mary Axe30 St Mary Axe30 St Mary Axe, the Swiss Re Building , is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London, completed in December 2003 and opened at the end of May 2004...
- Broadgate TowerBroadgate TowerThe Broadgate Tower is a skyscraper in London's main financial district, the City of London. It was constructed from 2005 to 2009 and is currently the fourth tallest building in the City of London....
- Bishopsgate TowerBishopsgate TowerThe Pinnacle, also known as The Bishopsgate Tower and The Helter-Skelter, is a , 63-storey skyscraper under construction in the centre of London's main financial district, the City of London. It is one of four major towers under construction in London, others being Shard London Bridge, 122...
- Shard London BridgeShard London BridgeShard London Bridge is a skyscraper under construction in Southwark, London. When completed in May 2012, it will be the tallest building in the European Union and the 45th-tallest building in the world, standing tall...