# The Shard Tower in London



## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

Just as a quick update for Shard fans, it's actually happening; the demolition guys are de-welding and de-constructing the old PWC building (saw them sawing down the atrium and the 1st and 2nd floor sun shade things) and there's a huge, quite wonderful, grey board about the size of a 96 sheet poster site in front of where Boots used to be.







Hope it's finished before I leave the UK cos I'd love to go up to the observation deck...


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## Belushi (Feb 7, 2008)

Howe long are they estimating it will take to build?


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

Oh bums, I was always under the impression that fuck-ugly one on the left was coming down too  Ah well. Shard ftw


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

Belushi said:


> Howe long are they estimating it will take to build?







finished in 2011


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## Belushi (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Oh bums, I was always under the impression that fuck-ugly one on the left was coming down too



That things a fucking monstrosity.


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## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

You mean Guy's Hospital? Yeah, but if it weren't in grey concrete it'd be cooler - mad shape


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

Ah, I had no idea it was part of the hospital 
Yeah, the shape is pretty space age, but the materials really don't help.


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## g force (Feb 7, 2008)

Wonder if it will encounter the same problems as the Cheesegrater and the Pinnacle "Helter Skelter" during construction?


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

What problems are those?


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## Kid_Eternity (Feb 7, 2008)

Hmmm not sure what I think of it...that said didn't like the London Eye much upon first glance but now it's one my favourite features of London.


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## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

g force said:


> Wonder if it will encounter the same problems as the Cheesegrater and the Pinnacle "Helter Skelter" during construction?



Since they haven't finished prep and clearance work, what are these?


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## ChrisFilter (Feb 7, 2008)

Shard FTW


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## g force (Feb 7, 2008)

Well a bank has taken out an injunction, succesfully, to limit nosie and vibration that, if broken, leaves the developer of the Cheesgreater - British Land - open to paying compensation of £100,000 _a day_.

Hiscox @ 1 Great St Helen's (across from the church) are in the process of getting work halted on the Pinnacle, next door, as massive cracks have appeared in their walls.

It's all getting a bit messy with injunctions etc and could delay the site being cleared let alone drining in foundations for a 80 floor tower


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## zenie (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Ah, I had no idea it was part of the hospital
> Yeah, the shape is pretty space age, but the materials really don't help.


 
Tallest hospital in the UK innit?


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

The preliminary designs for the new London Bridge are looking quite spiffy.






Big Ground Floor concourse with the trains running through overhead on suspended bridges.


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## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

> It's all getting a bit messy with injunctions etc and could delay the site being cleared let alone drining in foundations for a 80 floor tower



Have you seen the site? Work is continuing apace - they're using the 'demolish from the ground up' approach on a couple of the buildings which looks  and there's always activity going on when I've been past the last few weeks...


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

Demolition 'from the ground up' is just because they were built in the oposite direction - the floors 'hang' from the central core.


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## Brainaddict (Feb 7, 2008)

g force said:


> Well a bank has taken out an injunction, succesfully, to limit nosie and vibration that, if broken, leaves the developer of the Cheesgreater - British Land - open to paying compensation of £100,000 _a day_.


 
Somehow this tale of a clash of two of the most rapacious types of capitalist institutions - banks and property developers - fails to incite any sympathy in me at all. In fact it's pretty entertaining stuff


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## Belushi (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Demolition 'from the ground up' is just because they were built in the oposite direction - the floors 'hang' from the central core.



It looks way cool though


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## g force (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Demolition 'from the ground up' is just because they were built in the oposite direction - the floors 'hang' from the central core.



Yep and the core is staying in the new building. The best thing about the old P&O site is the public atrium at ground level...although I'm not sure how far it encrouches onto the 'plinth' in front of the Aviva tower.


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## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

The Aviva tower is the old Barclays Building isn't it? The weird ass thing with the hemispherical lid that was designed by some Yank arch-PoMo practice and BB hated it from the time they moved in didn't they?


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## tommers (Feb 7, 2008)

kyser_soze said:


> You mean Guy's Hospital? Yeah, but if it weren't in grey concrete it'd be cooler - mad shape



is that the york clinic?  wow, I didn't realise that was where this would be.  it's really close...


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## g force (Feb 7, 2008)

kyser_soze said:


> The Aviva tower is the old Barclays Building isn't it? The weird ass thing with the hemispherical lid that was designed by some Yank arch-PoMo practice and BB hated it from the time they moved in didn't they?



The black tower over the road from the Gherkin. It's my home from home


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## kyser_soze (Feb 7, 2008)

Ahh, not the one I was thinking of. But I know the building of which you speak


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## ChrisFilter (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> The preliminary designs for the new London Bridge are looking quite spiffy.
> 
> Big Ground Floor concourse with the trains running through overhead on suspended bridges.



All well and good, but when are they going to make London Bridge acceptably accessible!? It's unusable when you're working in Farringdon or anywhere not on the Northern or Jubilee lines. Might be a problem without a solution though.


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

Nothing but new tube lines would fix that for you!

(if you time it right, you can get thameslink from Lbridge to Farringdon)


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## GarfieldLeChat (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Demolition 'from the ground up' is just because they were built in the oposite direction - the floors 'hang' from the central core.



canterlever innit??


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

GarfieldLeChat said:


> canterlever innit??


Not afaik - there's a sort of 'coathanger' at the top, then tension members down the outside.


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## ChrisFilter (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Nothing but new tube lines would fix that for you!
> 
> (if you time it right, you can get thameslink from Lbridge to Farringdon)



Those trains don't start until 9:17am... what the fuck is the point in that?!

Doesn't matter anyway, just meant that when we were looking for houses any areas that were only on the London Bridge <> Victoria line were out of the question.


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## GarfieldLeChat (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> Not afaik - there's a sort of 'coathanger' at the top, then tension members down the outside.



down the outside

god we had balls in the 60's


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## editor (Feb 7, 2008)

I'm digging the Shard man.


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## beeboo (Feb 7, 2008)

ChrisFilter said:


> Those trains don't start until 9:17am... what the fuck is the point in that?!
> 
> Doesn't matter anyway, just meant that when we were looking for houses any areas that were only on the London Bridge <> Victoria line were out of the question.



If/when they ever sort out the Thameslink upgrade that'd probably solve that problem, as there will be a lot more trains through on that route.


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## ChrisFilter (Feb 7, 2008)

beeboo said:


> If/when they ever sort out the Thameslink upgrade that'd probably solve that problem, as there will be a lot more trains through on that route.



Haven't heard of this upgrade! Are they going to start routing trains via places other e&c, loughborough juncion, herne hill, tulse hill, streatham and so on?


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## untethered (Feb 7, 2008)

Can I really be the only person on here who doesn't like it, or perhaps the only person who dislikes it enough to say so?


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## Crispy (Feb 7, 2008)

OMG alwaystouchout.com has had their account suspended! Where am I going to go for my london transport geekery now?

Anyway, wikipedia has a pretty good article on the upgrades: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thameslink_Programme

The major work at London Bridge will be a new vidauct to match the through capacity of the station with it's inputs (at the moment it's a massive bottleneck)


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## beeboo (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> OMG alwaystouchout.com has had their account suspended! Where am I going to go for my london transport geekery now?





I chose the right time to get a new, non-transporty job!


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## Oswaldtwistle (Feb 7, 2008)

Crispy said:


> OMG alwaystouchout.com has had their account suspended! Where am I going to go for my london transport geekery now?



http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.transport.london/topics?hl=en is still worth a read, despite the spam.


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## davesgcr (Feb 8, 2008)

After 2015 - when Thameslink project is finished - there will be a cornucopia of trains to Farringdon from LB - between 10 and 16 _per hour _

Trains are limited in the peak hours because the cross each other on the flat at Metropolitan Junction - (and there are up to 28 trains an hour into Charing Cross) -  the project sorts this out with some expensive bridges and extra platforms.

The down side is (apart from 2015) - is the disruption whilst its built !


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## cybertect (Feb 8, 2008)

editor said:


> I'm digging the Shard man.



Must admit I'm looking forward to watching a Renzo Piano building being built on my way to work every morning.


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## Ackland (Feb 11, 2008)

ChrisFilter said:


> Those trains don't start until 9:17am... what the fuck is the point in that?!



I might have missed the point, but direct trains from London Bridge to Farringdon start at 5.34am on weekdays, and there are usually at least 4 trains per hour until late at night.  Or were you talking about the London Bridge to Victoria line?


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## hipipol (Feb 13, 2008)

Those are the trains to Brighton and gatwick, big revenue earner for Thameslink, every 15 or 20 mines from v early as pointed out by Ackland. Jewel in their crown really, the bottleneck for them is also the Snow Hill Tunnel/Farringdon Junction - services split there to also allow trains into Moorgate. Thameslink used to run trains to catford etc via Denamrk hill and Peckham.
What a pity the old link from farringdon to Snow Hill was destroyed by piling for shite office blocks in the sixties


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## hipipol (Feb 13, 2008)

*The North Bank catches up*








Without all the north bank stuff currently underway





This view is from E&C


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## teuchter (Jan 30, 2009)

I took a train from London Bridge earlier this evening, and while I was waiting for it I went down to the little fish and chips shop that's on the corner off Borough High Street nearby. Except when I got there it was closed and stripped out, along with the two shops next to it, which I presume is part of the works for the Shard or "London Bridge Quarter" as they seem to be marketing the wider development.

Walking back up to the station, I noticed a gap where there didn't used to be one, just to the South of the main station building.

I kind of haven't really been paying attention and hadn't quite realised that construction for this has, finally, started for real.

Someone said the other day that Shunt, in the arches below the station, was going to be closing in a couple of months - am I right to assume this is also due to the redevelopment works?

The official website, with jerky video and un-linkable Flash pages is here:

http://www.shardlondonbridge.com/

where they have a few images. 

I'd like to understand in more detail what's happening at ground level, and to the station, though ... has anyone seen any proper plans published anywhere?

Looking at the press images, I find it hard to get particularly excited by what they are showing, although pretty much anything will be an improvement on the existing station concourse there.



 < click for giant image

Renzo Piano is an architect I have a lot of respect for, but I hope he's going to have enough input here to avoid it becoming just another nice-but-dim bland commercial development. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the executive architects were to be Broadway Malyan, who are the ones responsible for the uninspiring development on the Southwest end of Vauxhall bridge.


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## Crispy (Jan 30, 2009)

They're not doing too much to the actual station at the moment, because it all needs to be running in time for the olympics. Once that's out the way, the whole station's getting a done over, they're adding 3 new through platforms (converted from bay platforms), new concourse at lower level with access up to all platforms. Massive undertaking. But for now, I think they're just going to pretty up the existing concourse areas.

http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/35


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## temper_tantrum (Jan 30, 2009)

If you walk over the bridge that leads from the bus station area to Guy's Hospital, you get a really good view right down into the construction site. It looks quite post-apocalyptic!


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## teuchter (Jan 30, 2009)

temper_tantrum said:


> If you walk over the bridge that leads from the bus station area to Guy's Hospital, you get a really good view right down into the construction site. It looks quite post-apocalyptic!



I'm going to have to go back there in daylight and have a look.


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## kyser_soze (Jan 30, 2009)

temper_tantrum said:


> If you walk over the bridge that leads from the bus station area to Guy's Hospital, you get a really good view right down into the construction site. It looks quite post-apocalyptic!



Construction sites as 

One of the best things ever was when building companies started putting viewing ports into the boarding around sites.


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## temper_tantrum (Jan 30, 2009)

There is basically a massive hole, with lots of twisted metal, and the side of London Bridge station (where the Boots & Woolworths used to be) has bits of walls and floors emerging from it, like something you would have seen in the Blitz. Mud and rubble and huge yellow diggers and men in high-vis jackets looking cold.

I think they floodlight it so that they can continue to work when it goes dark in the aftenoons. They certainly have a lot of lighting rigged up close to the bridge.


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## Dan U (Jan 30, 2009)

teuchter - i got told that the space Shunt is in is earmarked for a big retail development.

just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.

cunts (if true)


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## teuchter (Jan 30, 2009)

Dan U said:


> teuchter - i got told that the space Shunt is in is earmarked for a big retail development.
> 
> just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.
> 
> cunts (if true)



Well, it's a shame for sure. It's surprising that space hasn't been used for something more profitable already though - do you know what was in there before Shunt were using it?


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## Dan U (Jan 30, 2009)

teuchter said:


> Well, it's a shame for sure. It's surprising that space hasn't been used for something more profitable already though - do you know what was in there before Shunt were using it?



it was empty for yonks.

there was a big NYE illegal rave in there a few years back and i heard it was being used for fashion shoots etc in somewhere grimey.

will be a real shame if Shunt goes, such a unique space for all kinds of weirdness.


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## Chz (Jan 30, 2009)

zenie said:


> Tallest hospital in the UK innit?



In Europe, actually. Guy's is kinda cool, in that brutalist way.


> I took a train from London Bridge earlier this evening, and while I was waiting for it I went down to the little fish and chips shop that's on the corner off Borough High Street nearby. Except when I got there it was closed and stripped out, along with the two shops next to it, which I presume is part of the works for the Shard or "London Bridge Quarter" as they seem to be marketing the wider development.


No, that's for the Thameslink work. There's an extra span of railway bridge being put in that way.


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## Sunray (Jan 30, 2009)

Building that at the right time, just when there is a huge contraction and importance of the City to UK life, they start building an enormous office complex. Watch rents crash down as the MacDonalds encrusted  tumble weed blows by.


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## teuchter (Jan 30, 2009)

Chz said:


> In Europe, actually. Guy's is kinda cool, in that brutalist way.



The funny shaped bit at the top is a lecture theatre. I've been told it's quite easy to go up there, because students are generally coming and going so you probably won't be challenged - just take the lift to the top. I've not tried yet. The view from up there must be quite good.



Chz said:


> No, that's for the Thameslink work. There's an extra span of railway bridge being put in that way.



Ah I see. That makes sense.


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## Gavin Bl (Jan 30, 2009)

Sunray said:


> Building that at the right time, just when there is a huge contraction and importance of the City to UK life, they start building an enormous office complex. Watch rents crash down as the MacDonalds encrusted  tumble weed blows by.



True, but the Empire state building and the World Trade Center were built during the Depression, and when New York was near bankrupt, respectively

Had a quick look at the spot where they are going to build it, there was a veritable army of diggers there this morning. Quite exciting really, I remember watching the Gherkin go up - I get quite a kick watching them build something that size.


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## Sunray (Jan 30, 2009)

Well, good luck to them.  The problem they might find is filling the offices because the City is going to have its balls stapled to the desk for some time.  Tax payers of the world have now stumped up 15 trillion dollars in financial support.

I really hope they get to finish it before the cash runs out.


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## quimcunx (Jan 31, 2009)

Dan U said:


> teuchter - i got told that the space Shunt is in is earmarked for a big retail development.
> 
> just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.
> 
> cunts (if true)




Heaven forbid anything should stand in the way of Britons' favourite hobby.


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## paolo (Jan 31, 2009)

zenie said:


> Tallest hospital in the UK innit?



Better than that... The tallest hospital in the world.


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## cesare (Jan 31, 2009)

quimcunx said:


> Heaven forbid anything should stand in the way of Britons' favourite hobby.



I'd have gone for 'heaven forfend' but yeah.


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## Crispy (Jan 31, 2009)

It's not all offices anyway. A large part is a hotel, more of it is apartments. THe offices are in the lower floors (big floorplates are easier to sell). Not that that makes it any more financially viable of course. But hey, it's not even British money being wasted, but mostly Qatari.


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## pk (Feb 1, 2009)

Yep, tis a good view from the walkway between the station and Guy's hosp.

Some alarming scenes of massive diggers parked at 45 degree angles, and dust everywhere!!


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## teuchter (Feb 1, 2009)

From the walkway:







From the top of the Guy's tower (through grubby windows):













Also from the top of Guy's while I'm at it:


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## Gavin Bl (Feb 2, 2009)

great pics, thanks.


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## temper_tantrum (Feb 2, 2009)

Woah, top stuff!


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## Cid (Feb 3, 2009)

Dan U said:


> teuchter - i got told that the space Shunt is in is earmarked for a big retail development.
> 
> just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.
> 
> cunts (if true)



London Bridge arches... I hope to fuck not, those are amazing spaces.


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## Crispy (Feb 3, 2009)

The london bridge arches will all be used and changed in the London bridge station redevelopment to come after the Shard. The concourse will move down to the Tooley Street level, with escalator access up to the platforms.


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## Roadkill (Feb 3, 2009)

I think it's an excellent development.  The Shard is a really striking building, and London Bridge station urgently needs the planned refurbishment since atm it's rather down at heel and not really coping with the amount of traffic using it.


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## kyser_soze (Feb 3, 2009)

Dan U said:


> teuchter - i got told that the space Shunt is in is earmarked for a big retail development.
> 
> just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.
> 
> cunts (if true)



This argument 150 years ago:

'Top hatted railway developers want to turn simepl Tooley street in a railway station and must be stopped at all costs!!'

Are we trying say that a railway arch is a unique art space in London?


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## teuchter (Feb 3, 2009)

kyser_soze said:


> This argument 150 years ago:
> 
> 'Top hatted railway developers want to turn simepl Tooley street in a railway station and must be stopped at all costs!!'
> 
> Are we trying say that a railway arch is a unique art space in London?



Have you been in Shunt? It's enormous; I can't think of any other railway-arch spaces on that scale* in London, certainly not being used as art/performance spaces.

Of course, its not hard to see why it makes commercial sense to develop it.

*Except for the SeOne club which is in the arches in the next block along to the East. (Is this going too, then? Looks like it from the plan Crispy posted).


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## Crispy (Feb 3, 2009)

Can anyone identify the location of Shunt in this floorplan?





The existing Underground entrance can be seen on the far left.

Ah, ok I get it, it's the many-pillar'd space immediately to the right. Well at least the space itself will be left intact. Can't quite read the caption on it there...


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## quimcunx (Feb 3, 2009)

kyser_soze said:


> This argument 150 years ago:
> 
> 'Top hatted railway developers want to turn simepl Tooley street in a railway station and must be stopped at all costs!!'
> 
> Are we trying say that a railway arch is a unique art space in London?



I think Shunt is a unique art space.  We will be losing that.  And replacing it with someone not in the tiniest bit unique.


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## quimcunx (Feb 3, 2009)

Crispy said:


> Can anyone identify the location of Shunt in this floorplan?



Can you first of all identify _anything _ on this plan?  Like Tooley Street.  It's too small for me to see.


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## quimcunx (Feb 3, 2009)

Roadkill said:


> I think it's an excellent development.  The Shard is a really striking building, and London Bridge station urgently needs the planned refurbishment since atm it's rather down at heel and not really coping with the amount of traffic using it.



I think it is a striking building.  I'm not sure what I think of the location though and I am now pissed off at losing Shunt.


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## teuchter (Feb 3, 2009)

quimcunx said:


> Can you first of all identify _anything _ on this plan?  Like Tooley Street.



Tooley St is the road running across the plan about a quarter down from the top.


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## Crispy (Feb 3, 2009)

Ah, okay, I've figure it out now. Having looked at the location map on Shunt's website, it does indeed look like it'll be closing for the station redevelopment.


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## quimcunx (Feb 3, 2009)

Well done Crispy.   


Because even with Tooley street located I still wasn't going to have a clue.  Not sure why I asked.


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## teuchter (Feb 3, 2009)

Crispy said:


> Ah, okay, I've figure it out now. Having looked at the location map on Shunt's website, it does indeed look like it'll be closing for the station redevelopment.



I'm pretty sure it's quite a lot bigger than that.

More like this (very approximately) 

Red is shunt, green is SeOne club.


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## Crispy (Feb 3, 2009)

Well, whichever bit it is, it's going to go.


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## Dan U (Feb 3, 2009)

quimcunx said:


> I think Shunt is a unique art space.  We will be losing that.  And replacing it with someone not in the tiniest bit unique.



this.

maybe the Arts Council and Shunt will find somewhere else to go, i hope so as it is certainly unique and has loads of stuff going on there (some admittedly pretty shit but at least it's on somewhere)


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## Crispy (Feb 3, 2009)

hipipol said:


> Those are the trains to Brighton and gatwick, big revenue earner for Thameslink, every 15 or 20 mines from v early as pointed out by Ackland. Jewel in their crown really, the bottleneck for them is also the Snow Hill Tunnel/Farringdon Junction - services split there to also allow trains into Moorgate.



The Moorgate branch will be closed soon though , so all southbound trains will run through the tunnel. No more bottleneck. It'll mean a much busier interchange at Farringdon though.


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## lang rabbie (Feb 3, 2009)

Plan of shunt vaults - which shows that overall area wise Shunt occupies a space closer to what teuchter thought.

What confused everyone (including the developers' representatives) a good few years ago when trying to understand the plans during the "consultation" on the station reconstruction is that one of the conditions of the deal with English Heritage is to restore the full length of "The Vaults" as the main east-west route between the Tube station and the new north-south concourse.   

As I understand it, as well as the eight (?) western bays closest to the Tube station which were spruced up at the time of Jubilee line construction and are currently occupied by the various posh deli stalls, National Rail will have to reconstruct in replica the five or six bays demolished less than fifteen years ago for the current escalator link up to the mainline concourse.   These will then link into the remaining bays to the east which currently form the middle part of Shunt.  

It looks as though the more conventionally arched northern and southern bits of Shunt become retailing.


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## temper_tantrum (Feb 3, 2009)

So the main route between the Tube and the train station will be an elongated version of the current Vaults which are used for shopping? That's quite a narrow space, it gets horribly crowded during busy periods.


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## lang rabbie (Feb 3, 2009)

temper_tantrum said:


> So the main route between the Tube and the train station will be an elongated version of the current Vaults which are used for shopping? That's quite a narrow space, it gets horribly crowded during busy periods.



At the moment only the "nave" of the vaults is a through route.  I'm assuming that the kiosks in the "aisles" either side will get dismantled and there will be replacement shopfronts facing onto the aisles where there are currently blank brick walls.


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## teuchter (Feb 3, 2009)

Thanks for that, lang rabbie; now it all makes more sense to me.

Here is a plan of London Bridge pre-development, with the two long tunnels that pass underneath (Stainer Street and Weston Street) highlighted:








Here's the plan of the redeveloped vaults area as originally posted by Crispy:








And here (as far as I can make out) are are the current locations of Shunt (Red), the Dungeons (Green), and SEOne Club (Blue) superimposed. In yellow is the location of the escalators that currently take you up to the main concourse from the route through from the tube station. The two tunnels of Stainer and Weston streets are in purple again - they effectively cease to exist.






My estimation of the location of SEOne that I posted a couple of posts up now looks embarrassingly oversized. Anyone who's been in there knows how big it is, though, and seeing it take up just a small portion of that redeveloped site illustrates just what a massive area it is that's going to be opened up.


Does anyone know what all the arches under the station were originally used for? Just storage?


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## temper_tantrum (Feb 4, 2009)

Great work Teuchter, thanks - I couldn't make head or tail of the original diagram! That makes it much clearer.


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## teuchter (Feb 4, 2009)

It would be interesting to know how they are going to build that central bit that runs North/South roughly where the two tunnels currently are. Because they are obviously going to completely remove the existing brick supporting structures and replace it with new. Which is surely going to be a bit tricky to do when the structure is supporting an operating railway station.


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## temper_tantrum (Feb 4, 2009)

One thing that I can't quite work out is the levels in the diagram. Is it all at ground level? Doesn't that mean that Shunt is overlaid with the shops in the Vaults?

Perhaps they are leaving the tunnel arches in situ? The central hall area of the proposed development seems to correlate with the location of the existing tunnels.


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## Crispy (Feb 4, 2009)

Here's my guess:

The current station has 9 terminating platforms and 6 through. The new station will have 6 terminating and 9 through. Therefore, the first platforms to close will be the middle three. They'll demolish them right down to 'basement' level, then build the new bridge over to carry the tracks right through (this will join up with the new viaduct that expands the westbound capacity, if I understand things right). Access to the platforms will continue to be from above via the bridge.

Then they'll carry on closing, demolishing and rebuilding the other platform sections in groups of three/four. During all this time, access will be from above. Only when all the new bridges are in place will they start constructing the new concourse underneath them.


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## teuchter (Feb 4, 2009)

temper_tantrum said:


> One thing that I can't quite work out is the levels in the diagram. Is it all at ground level? Doesn't that mean that Shunt is overlaid with the shops in the Vaults?



It's all at street level (ie the level below the station concourse).

The shops in the Vaults are currently just in the side aisles. After the changes, these side aisles will be open, by the looks of it, with the shop fronts set into the side walls.



temper_tantrum said:


> Perhaps they are leaving the tunnel arches in situ? The central hall area of the proposed development seems to correlate with the location of the existing tunnels.



I don't think so; you would see more columns and piers on plan, and that bit doesn't fully correlate with the location of the tunnels. Also, looking at the images posted earlier, there is no trace of the original arches there.


----------



## temper_tantrum (Feb 4, 2009)

There's a net reduction in the number of platforms? Really? (Edited: That was to Crispy).


----------



## teuchter (Feb 4, 2009)

Crispy said:


> Here's my guess:
> 
> The current station has 9 terminating platforms and 6 through. The new station will have 6 terminating and 6 through. Therefore, the first platforms to close will be the middle three. They'll demolish them right down to 'basement' level, then build the new bridge over to carry the tracks right through (this will join up with the new viaduct that expands the westbound capacity, if I understand things right). Access to the platforms will continue to be from above via the bridge.
> 
> Then they'll carry on closing, demolishing and rebuilding the other platform sections in groups of three/four. During all this time, access will be from above. Only when all the new bridges are in place will they start constructing the new concourse underneath them.



Yes, that seems most likely.

So the new station will have fewer platforms than now? I thought the idea was to convert some of the terminating ones into through ones?


----------



## Crispy (Feb 4, 2009)

oops, I meant 6 terminating and 9 through. 9:6 -> 6:9 - no reduction in paltforms, but an increase in through capacity.


----------



## Crispy (Mar 18, 2009)

Actual construction has really started now, there's piling rigs on site and chomping dirt  I stopped by briefly on my way in to work. It's really worth a look, it's such a busy site, and the ravaged stubs of the surrounding buildings are a sight in themselves.


----------



## kyser_soze (Mar 18, 2009)

Crispy said:


> Actual construction has really started now, there's piling rigs on site and chomping dirt  I stopped by briefly on my way in to work. It's really worth a look, it's such a busy site, and the ravaged stubs of the surrounding buildings are a sight in themselves.



I'm coming thru London Bridge on my way home this evening, so I'll have a mosey on over. They got lots of clear window things in the hoardings around the site?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 18, 2009)

No need to wedge your eye up to a little window, you can see the whole site clear, from an elevated (ie station concourse) level. From the bus station outisde the concourse, you can't miss it - there's a steel bridge that takes you round to Guy's.







For example


----------



## editor (Mar 18, 2009)

I can't wait for this thing to start taking shape.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 18, 2009)

Dan U said:


> just what London needs, more fucking shops and the loss of a unique art space.
> 
> cunts (if true)



And by the looks of it, _Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience_ is going to disappear too. 

Philistines!


----------



## paolo (Mar 18, 2009)

This is my hood.

Going. To be. Fucking. Awesome.


----------



## brixtonvilla (Mar 18, 2009)

paolo999 said:


> This is my hood.
> 
> Going. To be. Fucking. Awesome.



Without having read the thread, can I ask why? I think the Shard is way oversized for the area, and is going to look very odd stuck on its own with no tall buildings around it.


----------



## Maggot (Mar 19, 2009)

When is the SEOne club going to disappear?

I'm supposed to be DJing there in June!


----------



## Crispy (Mar 19, 2009)

Not for ages. the tower gets built first, and the new rail viaduct over borough market at some point. Only then will they rebuild the station. Not till 2013 at the earliest.


----------



## teuchter (Mar 19, 2009)

Although Shunt is supposedly going to be gone within a matter of months.


----------



## editor (May 20, 2009)

Wooh! Check out this super sci-fi mockup  of the viewing platform on the Shard.






The platform spans three stories a third of the way up the 100-story building and offers a 360-degree view from 244 metres - twice as high as the London Eye.

http://londonist.com/2009/05/the_shard_room_for_a_view.php


----------



## teuchter (May 20, 2009)

If the tower is already that slender a third of the way up, I can't imagine there's much usable floorspace above about halfway. And if you're already at 244 metres a third of the way up...

I think someone has got a bit muddled somewhere.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 20, 2009)

teuchter said:


> If the tower is already that slender a third of the way up, I can't imagine there's much usable floorspace above about halfway. And if you're already at 244 metres a third of the way up...
> 
> I think someone has got a bit muddled somewhere.


 

Maybe they'll only let a limited amount of people up there each day.

I think the Petronas only lets the first 300 people each day in the queue up to the skybridge


----------



## g force (May 20, 2009)

Indeed could be in the "final third" of the building...


----------



## editor (May 20, 2009)

teuchter said:


> If the tower is already that slender a third of the way up, I can't imagine there's much usable floorspace above about halfway. And if you're already at 244 metres a third of the way up...
> 
> I think someone has got a bit muddled somewhere.


No, the rest of the building will have a single room per floor with the broom cupboard at the top.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 20, 2009)

editor said:


> No, the rest of the building will have a single room per floor with the broom cupboard at the top.


 

That'll be a nightmare for the cleaner if the lift breaks down


----------



## cybertect (May 20, 2009)

g force said:


> Indeed could be in the "final third" of the building...






			
				Londonist said:
			
		

> The platform, which spans three stories a third of the way up the 100-story building, will offer a 360-degree view of the capital from a maxium height of *244 metres*
> 
> ...
> 
> Work on the 'scraper, which at *310m* will be the tallest in western Europe



244/310 = 0.79.

i.e. about 4/5 of the way up the building, which is a much more sensible place for a viewing platform of the tallest building in Europe. 

1/3 (~100m) up would barely be worth the bother. Tower 42 (AKA the NatWest Tower) is 183m tall.


----------



## _pH_ (May 20, 2009)

Some pics wot i took today:











that's a very busy construction site!


----------



## upsidedownwalrus (May 20, 2009)

That building is going to be awesome!  It's about time London had some properly stunning modern buildings.  My wife said when she visited that she couldn't believe she was in London; to her it all felt like a village


----------



## Crispy (May 21, 2009)

There's some excellent photos on skyscrapercity.com where a small crane/forklift is being shifted around the site by one of the big tower cranes  It really is the densest and busiet construction site I've seen.


----------



## teuchter (May 21, 2009)

cybertect said:


> 244/310 = 0.79.
> 
> i.e. about 4/5 of the way up the building, which is a much more sensible place for a viewing platform of the tallest building in Europe.
> 
> 1/3 (~100m) up would barely be worth the bother. Tower 42 (AKA the NatWest Tower) is 183m tall.



If the shard viewing platform is higher than it, shouldn't the top of Tower 42 in the background of that photomontage be below the horizon?


----------



## Crispy (May 21, 2009)

Not neccesarily


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 21, 2009)

Crispy said:


> There's some excellent photos on skyscrapercity.com where a small crane/forklift is being shifted around the site by one of the big tower cranes  It really is the densest and busiet construction site I've seen.


 

I love Skyscrapercity but it's soooooooooooooo slow because of all the pictures on it


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 21, 2009)

Anyone been keeping their eye on the new Park Plaza hotel on the roundabout before Westminster Bridge

I'd hate to be the window cleaner    What is the point of all those little sheets of coloured glass anyway - just to take away from the boredom of looking at the same coloured glass all the way round


----------



## teuchter (May 21, 2009)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Anyone been keeping their eye on the new Park Plaza hotel on the roundabout before Westminster Bridge
> 
> I'd hate to be the window cleaner    What is the point of all those little sheets of coloured glass anyway - just to take away from the boredom of looking at the same coloured glass all the way round



"Decoration" is the term I think although the designers will probably have made up some kind of rationalisation for them.

Haven't seen the pictures for that before. Looks a little disappointing really. Although perhaps that atrium thing cut through the middle could be quite cool.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 21, 2009)

teuchter said:


> "Decoration" is the term I think although the designers will probably have made up some kind of rationalisation for them.
> 
> Haven't seen the pictures for that before. Looks a little disappointing really. Although perhaps that atrium thing cut through the middle could be quite cool.


 

It added a large amount of cranes to the skyline against the backdrop of the London Eye.  I quite miss them now


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 21, 2009)

It has over 1000 bedrooms and a pillarless ballroom big enough to house an Olympic sized swimming pool apparently


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 21, 2009)

Some pics here

http://www.buj.com/


----------



## beeboo (May 21, 2009)

cybertect said:


> 244/310 = 0.79.
> 
> i.e. about 4/5 of the way up the building, which is a much more sensible place for a viewing platform of the tallest building in Europe.
> 
> 1/3 (~100m) up would barely be worth the bother. Tower 42 (AKA the NatWest Tower) is 183m tall.



Even if it's 244m, the last 60m aren't going to be much use to anyone if it's that skinny at 244m


----------



## _pH_ (May 21, 2009)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Anyone been keeping their eye on the new Park Plaza hotel on the roundabout before Westminster Bridge
> 
> I'd hate to be the window cleaner    What is the point of all those little sheets of coloured glass anyway - just to take away from the boredom of looking at the same coloured glass all the way round



don't like! it's like a washing machine drum


----------



## Crispy (May 21, 2009)

editor said:


> Wooh! Check out this super sci-fi mockup  of the viewing platform on the Shard.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well that doesn't make sense. The shard will be 310m tall, so 1/3rd up is 100m or so. I reckon it's a typo and it should be 2/3rds up. IIRC, there's another public space at the 1/3rd mark so that probably cuased the confusion.


----------



## _pH_ (Aug 6, 2009)

Some shard pics from last week:
















Still piling! And still v. busy.


----------



## upsidedownwalrus (Aug 6, 2009)

I have to say, I'm well excited about buildings like this. 

what's fantastic about London as a city is that it's not a giant museum of concrete, like Paris, set in some golden era, with very little room for new things or layers.  And it's not like Chinese cities which are the result of yaers of knocking down, rebuilding, knocking down, rebuilding, etc, it's just loads and loads of different layers and things, like a huge onion.  The shard is just the newest layer on the onion.


----------



## hipipol (Aug 6, 2009)

I think ity'll look amazing, but for years it will make London Bridge - a place that sets my teeth on edge like no other - will be even more hellish for the next few YEARS!!!!

To make up for that, the Shard need top be spectacular

Oh yeah, and the train service need to step up tp the plate too!!!


----------



## Crispy (Aug 6, 2009)

The station's getting a big overhaul too, but not till after 2012. Will mean more trains and much much better concourse and platform access.


----------



## hipipol (Aug 6, 2009)

Well I hope they sort out Zimmer frame access, by the time they finally finish it, I'll probably be using one!!!!


----------



## IMR (Aug 7, 2009)

Can't say I'm overenthusiastic about another office block. It's not as if the Shard is going to be anywhere near as attractive or sophisticated-looking as the Chrysler building.

It's just going to be one more over-sized simple shape tipped out of a giant Fisher Price building block set. Wow, maybe they'll do one like a big cylinder next, or a pyramid!


----------



## PacificOcean (Aug 7, 2009)

Did London Bridge station ever look nice?

I know that the concrete box at Euston used to be all arches and ornate buildings, but I never seen or heard about what London Bridge was like.

It really is one the grimest stations I have ever been in.  Perputuarly dark, choked with fumes from the bus station outside and with platforms here there and everywhere.


----------



## ovaltina (Aug 7, 2009)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Anyone been keeping their eye on the new Park Plaza hotel on the roundabout before Westminster Bridge
> 
> I'd hate to be the window cleaner    What is the point of all those little sheets of coloured glass anyway - just to take away from the boredom of looking at the same coloured glass all the way round



This looks close to completion now. It's not the most inspiring building but it's better than the concrete lump that was there before. I'd guess the archiects had to be conservative because of where they were building (opp parliament).

I'm always amazed that St Thomas's hospital hasn't been shunted to a cheaper site. A friend of a friend was on a ward there recently after having a baby and she had views of parliament from her bed. 

I reckon the Shard will be great and should make London Bridge a lot more interesting - but I bet we have years of disruption to the Thameslink while it's being built.


----------



## kyser_soze (Aug 7, 2009)

PacificOcean said:


> Did London Bridge station ever look nice?
> 
> I know that the concrete box at Euston used to be all arches and ornate buildings, but I never seen or heard about what London Bridge was like.
> 
> It really is one the grimest stations I have ever been in.  Perputuarly dark, choked with fumes from the bus station outside and with platforms here there and everywhere.



Yeah, the old train shed on platforms 7-16 is ok-ish, but it was utterly brutalised by the walkway to plats 1-6 and bus station roof thing, all done out in that lovely late 70s/early 80s brown...


----------



## Gromit (Aug 7, 2009)

upsidedownwalrus said:


> I have to say, I'm well excited about buildings like this.
> 
> what's fantastic about London as a city is that it's not a giant museum of concrete, like Paris, set in some golden era, with very little room for new things or layers.  And it's not like Chinese cities which are the result of yaers of knocking down, rebuilding, knocking down, rebuilding, etc, it's just loads and loads of different layers and things, like a huge onion.  The shard is just the newest layer on the onion.



There was some documentary on London which basically describes London's planning process.

You want to build what?!!!
But it doesn't match anything else nearby!
You are going to spend millions and millions which will create lots of jobs?
Its going to look bloody stupid but as you are spending lots of money... here is your planning permission.

Its less of an onion but more like the most random pizza you can think off.

Ham, pineapple, giraffe, peppers and walrus toes.


----------



## TitanSound (Aug 7, 2009)

They are still piling at the mo. I pass it every week on my way to the rehearsal studio. I'll get some pics on Sunday


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## hipipol (Aug 7, 2009)

Ham, pineapple, giraffe, peppers and walrus toes. 

What, no Kittens.....


These are a few of my favourite things...tra-la-la-la-lee!!!!


----------



## upsidedownwalrus (Aug 7, 2009)

IMR said:


> Can't say I'm overenthusiastic about another office block. It's not as if the Shard is going to be anywhere near as attractive or sophisticated-looking as the Chrysler building.
> 
> It's just going to be one more over-sized simple shape tipped out of a giant Fisher Price building block set. Wow, maybe they'll do one like a big cylinder next, or a pyramid!



Bollocks.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 7, 2009)

IMR said:


> Can't say I'm overenthusiastic about another office block. It's not as if the Shard is going to be anywhere near as attractive or sophisticated-looking as the Chrysler building.
> 
> It's just going to be one more over-sized simple shape tipped out of a giant Fisher Price building block set. Wow, maybe they'll do one like a big cylinder next, or a pyramid!





upsidedownwalrus said:


> Bollocks.



I was going to type out a wordy response but I think I'll just go along with upsidedownwalrus's.


----------



## kyser_soze (Aug 7, 2009)

So what view of LDn Bridge is this? It _looks_ like you're seeing it as you leave the gates onto the main concourse. the row of shops by the tube entrance currently being where the row of departure boards are...is this correct...if it is I'm even more pant-wettingly happy about the development...


----------



## Gromit (Aug 7, 2009)

My main worry about this shard project is that it reminds me of the Tattered Spire in Fable II.

Please tell me that the guy in charge of the project is not called Lord Lucien.


----------



## PacificOcean (Aug 7, 2009)

kyser_soze said:


> So what view of LDn Bridge is this? It _looks_ like you're seeing it as you leave the gates onto the main concourse. the row of shops by the tube entrance currently being where the row of departure boards are...is this correct...if it is I'm even more pant-wettingly happy about the development...



It very much looks like it.

All that glass!  Give it a couple of years and it will be as dark as it is now.

And they just spent all that money on new LCD boards only for them to swept away for more Costa Coffees, Whistlestops and Upper Crusts.  

Anyway, by the time this is all done (given how long rail infasturcture projects take in the UK), we will all be on Hoverboards anyway.


----------



## ericjarvis (Aug 7, 2009)

ovaltina said:


> I'm always amazed that St Thomas's hospital hasn't been shunted to a cheaper site. A friend of a friend was on a ward there recently after having a baby and she had views of parliament from her bed. .



St Thomas's gets to stay where it is precisely because it's handy for Parliament. It's where MPs go when they are sick, which is why it's arguably the best funded hospital in the country.


----------



## kyser_soze (Aug 7, 2009)

> Anyway, by the time this is all done (given how long rail infasturcture projects take in the UK), we will all be on Hoverboards anyway.



Generally speaking we can build station sheds pretty effectively - Eurotart at Waterloo was on time, on budget. 

This isn't a rail infrastructure project either - it's a massive piece of planning gain upgrading so that The Shard could get built...


----------



## PacificOcean (Aug 7, 2009)

kyser_soze said:


> Generally speaking we can build station sheds pretty effectively - Eurotart at Waterloo was on time, on budget.
> 
> This isn't a rail infrastructure project either - it's a massive piece of planning gain upgrading so that The Shard could get built...



Ah, so all this new station melarky is part of "The Shards" planing application?

So we can expect a shiny new tower and and some shitty "revamped" station made to the cheapest specifications known to man?


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 7, 2009)

teuchter said:


> I was going to type out a wordy response but I think I'll just go along with upsidedownwalrus's.



I'm withholding judgement myself. If all you've got to go on is the propaganda put out by Renzo & co then I'm surprised you have such a strong and conclusive opinion about it. Glass buildings in architect's imaginings always look as though they're made out of fairy dust. Then you see the finished product and they look like a glass block, like a thousand others. Granted it's tall, but size isn't everything. 

Incidentally I was pleased to see in the rendering's of Renzo's exploited interns that the guys hospital tower is now a sort of golden biscuit colour. This must please those who work in it no end. It must make such a change for the grubby grey, shabby exterior they are so used to.

I'm not saying the tower is definitely pants, I'm just saying that it seems sensible to reserve judgement.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 7, 2009)

Brainaddict said:


> I'm withholding judgement myself. If all you've got to go on is the propaganda put out by Renzo & co then I'm surprised you have such a strong and conclusive opinion about it. Glass buildings in architect's imaginings always look as though they're made out of fairy dust. Then you see the finished product and they look like a glass block, like a thousand others. Granted it's tall, but size isn't everything.
> 
> Incidentally I was pleased to see in the rendering's of Renzo's exploited interns that the guys hospital tower is now a sort of golden biscuit colour. This must please those who work in it no end. It must make such a change for the grubby grey, shabby exterior they are so used to.
> 
> I'm not saying the tower is definitely pants, I'm just saying that it seems sensible to reserve judgement.



I'm withholding judgement too. It was the simplistic commentary I was saying bollocks to.

But I have some degree of faith in Renzo Piano, based on his previous work, that means I'm optimistic that the finished building here will be a decent one. Certainly I imagine it will be a lot better than that awful tower recently finished by liverpool st station.


----------



## hipipol (Aug 7, 2009)

teuchter said:


> I'm withholding judgement too. It was the simplistic commentary I was saying bollocks to.
> 
> But I have some degree of faith in Renzo Piano, based on his previous work, that means I'm optimistic that the finished building here will be a decent one. Certainly I imagine it will be a lot better than that awful tower recently finished by liverpool st station.



Ah, the Broadgate Tower

I suspect whoever designed it has lots of 1950s Meccano sets, but doesn't use them, never taking them out of their boxes, for fear of reducing their value

It takes a lot of work to build something that bland, yet somehow also deeply offensive to the eye


----------



## teuchter (Aug 7, 2009)

PacificOcean said:


> It very much looks like it.
> 
> All that glass!  Give it a couple of years and it will be as dark as it is now.



I don't know how recent that image is; it may bear no great resemblance to the final design.

But - as far as glass roofs are concerned: yes they get dirty easily. However, if they are designed in such a way that they are easily cleaned, and then are actually cleaned by the building's owners (this being the critical thing), they are fine, and worth the effort in my opinion (in this kind of situation). Natural light makes people happier and saves lots of energy on lighting. Look how much nicer Waterloo (the old bit) is now, since they replaced and cleaned the glass in the roof a couple of days ago.


----------



## PacificOcean (Aug 7, 2009)

teuchter said:


> I don't know how recent that image is; it may bear no great resemblance to the final design.
> 
> But - as far as glass roofs are concerned: yes they get dirty easily. However, if they are designed in such a way that they are easily cleaned, and then are actually cleaned by the building's owners (this being the critical thing), they are fine, and worth the effort in my opinion (in this kind of situation). Natural light makes people happier and saves lots of energy on lighting. Look how much nicer Waterloo (the old bit) is now, since they replaced and cleaned the glass in the roof a couple of days ago.



In repsonse, I give you the GLA headquaters.  Very nice shiny glass when it was built.

But have you seen the state of it now?  Directly opposite a World Heritage Centre?

It looks like the worst of Southwarks council stock has decamped to the South Bank.

No wonder that the Hertiage people want to delist the Tower of London.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 7, 2009)

PacificOcean said:


> In repsonse, I give you the GLA headquaters.  Very nice shiny glass when it was built.
> 
> But have you seen the state of it now?  Directly opposite a World Heritage Centre?



I haven't noticed it to be in a particularly bad state. But I haven't really been by it recently.

Complain to Boris. If Kew Gardens can keep their greenhouses clean, then the GLA ought to be able to do the same.

Or - if the reason is that it's difficult to clean, then that is the fault of the designer, not the use of glass per se.


----------



## kyser_soze (Aug 7, 2009)

The GLA building was a massive dissappointment - the pics/CGI had it as this lovely sheathed in blue glass building, instead we got a grey steel rugby ball. Altho I don't think it's actually any less grubby now than it was then...it's just the way it is...


----------



## teuchter (Aug 7, 2009)

I'm not a big fan of it myself really. Somewhat over-designed, but compromised at the same time.


----------



## SF-02 (Aug 8, 2009)

The GLA building was supposed to use high quality glass - that was Fosters intention. Due to cost cutting cheap drab grey glass was used. Makes the building look dreary and is to the detriment of the whole building.


----------



## IMR (Aug 8, 2009)

upsidedownwalrus said:


> Bollocks.



 But the Shard is not going to be as classy as the Chrysler building, now is it? And it's not going to be as interesting-looking as the Lloyds building either.

The best that can be said is that it won't look as bad as the Guy's Hospital tower.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 8, 2009)

Guys tower is sort of bad in a good way though...


----------



## skyscraper101 (Aug 8, 2009)

IMR said:


> But the Shard is not going to be as classy as the Chrysler building, now is it? And it's not going to be as interesting-looking as the Lloyds building either.
> 
> The best that can be said is that it won't look as bad as the Guy's Hospital tower.



Nah, it will look cool. 

I don't think the Chrysler building is all that attractive anyway. It does have a classy 20s feel to its design which is good but it doesn't look particularly impressive now compared to some of more modern designs of the late 20th century and beyond.  When 1 World Trade Centre is complete, it will be further eclipsed in the NY skyline.

The problem with New York is that there are so many skyscrapers that they have to be taller and and taller to get prominence. Were it not for the heights of the empire state, Chrysler building and the former WTC, it would just look like mellay of nondescript tall towers. The fact that we have a more spacious city and a relatively new interest in constructing skyscrapers means that our skyline will take on an interesting form, combining old (parliament, st. pauls, tower bridge etc) with new (gherkin, 1 canada square, London eye, shard, city hall etc) in a cool fusion of old and new.


----------



## IMR (Aug 8, 2009)

teuchter said:
			
		

> Guys tower is sort of bad in a good way though...



The gorilla/robot jawline near the top is pretty weird, the best and worst feature at the same time.


----------



## hipipol (Aug 9, 2009)

The skyline of london now has two tall centres, the City and the other one on the Isle of Dogs - this a think makes it more interesting to look at from the surrounding hills

Cant find any projections of what it will look like when all the planned now towers are complete though(100 and 110 Bishopsgate, Shard, etc)
Each individual project shows the completed building against a skyline that does not include their new rivals!!

I wonder why?


----------



## lang rabbie (Aug 9, 2009)

SF-02 said:


> The GLA building was supposed to use high quality glass - that was Fosters intention. Due to cost cutting cheap drab grey glass was used. Makes the building look dreary and is to the detriment of the whole building.





Whether it was Norman Foster or Ken Shuttleworth who actually designed it, they should have known full well what they were going into in the original Government "competition" to select a site for City Hall - which paired architects with site owners/developoers.

I suspect the original concept designs for a wholly transparent building would not have met the energy efficiency targets for the building, let alone the cost that the developer was willing to put into the site in return for the rent they were guaranteed from the new GLA.

One other major reason why City Hall looks even less attractive now is that it was the first part of More London to be built.  It originally stood alone, with the sky visible through the building skin on all sides, making it appear light and bright.   

There is now a wall of building to the south, and the mediocrity of all of the Foster office's entire More London designs can be appreciated without the distraction of sunlight.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2009)

A couple of pics of the site today


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Oct 1, 2009)

IMR said:


> The best that can be said is that it won't look as bad as the Guy's Hospital tower.



   Guy's is cool i rekon,  what a great shape, i used on my radio blog   to infer Southwark.

The shard is defo taking a long time to rise up.  Looking at how near it is to the station it does seem weird that it got planning permission, what will the ground floor area around there really look like.  Doesn't it impinge on any future rail improvements ?


----------



## IMR (Oct 1, 2009)

DJWrongspeed said:


> Guy's is cool i rekon,  what a great shape, i used on my radio blog   to infer Southwark.



It's a distinctive shape but IMO not a good one at all for a hospital. Plus the concrete is really grubby-looking.

They might as well stick 'Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter' over the way in.


----------



## IMR (Oct 1, 2009)

skyscraper101 said:


> I don't think the Chrysler building is all that attractive anyway. It does have a classy 20s feel to its design which is good but it doesn't look particularly impressive now compared to some of more modern designs of the late 20th century and beyond.  When 1 World Trade Centre is complete, it will be further eclipsed in the NY skyline.



The Chrysler building _ought_ not to be eclipsed by other newer buildings just because they happen to be taller. But unfortunately the first thing people usually want to know about a proposed skyscraper is 'How tall will it be?'

I really don't want London to become the site of such an arms race between competing capitalist totem poles.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Oct 1, 2009)

I'm going to New York tomorrow. I'm hoping that I'll get a good look at how 1 World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) is developing.


----------



## ExtraRefined (Oct 1, 2009)

IMR said:


> I really don't want London to become the site of such an arms race between competing capitalist totem poles.



Not likely IMO, the Burj Dubai has that fight won by a huge margin - it's more than three times taller than Canary Wharf (One Canada Square for the pedants).


----------



## cybertect (Oct 1, 2009)

teuchter said:


> I haven't noticed it to be in a particularly bad state. But I haven't really been by it recently.
> 
> Complain to Boris. If Kew Gardens can keep their greenhouses clean, then the GLA ought to be able to do the same.



It does get cleaned at least once a week.

One half of the Parkside Kiosk (café) built adjacent to the GLA building a couple of years ago provides parking for the cherrypicker that they use to clean it.


----------



## quimcunx (Oct 1, 2009)

Apparently Shunt is still open, til November.


----------



## kyser_soze (Oct 1, 2009)

ExtraRefined said:


> Not likely IMO, the Burj Dubai has that fight won by a huge margin - it's more than three times taller than Canary Wharf (One Canada Square for the pedants).



Which also, FWIW, continues the hostorical trend of 'Worlds Tallest Building' being topped out just as it's host economy collapses!

Empire State Building
Sears Tower
Canary Wharf (OK, not tallest in world, tallest in Europe)
Petronas Towers


----------



## ovaltina (Oct 1, 2009)

IMR said:


> It's a distinctive shape but IMO not a good one at all for a hospital. Plus the concrete is really grubby-looking.
> 
> They might as well stick 'Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter' over the way in.



All London hospital tower blocks look like that (except UCLH). I love the way they plonked the Royal Free's brutal 70s tower block in the middle of chocolate box twee Hampstead village - little reminder that they're not in Hampshire after all, they're in London.


----------



## hipipol (Oct 1, 2009)

IMR said:


> The Chrysler building _ought_ not to be eclipsed by other newer buildings just because they happen to be taller. But unfortunately the first thing people usually want to know about a proposed skyscraper is 'How tall will it be?'
> 
> I really don't want London to become the site of such an arms race between competing capitalist totem poles.



You seem to have little experience of the Socialist Totem poles.......

The system built hell holes they punted people into in the 60s

Not a party matter I'm, afraid

Its boys toys and all that more primitive bollocks


----------



## cybertect (Nov 3, 2009)

Some proper steel has been erected in the last few days. Concrete being poured this afternoon.


----------



## teuchter (Nov 3, 2009)

If that's the steelwork proper, things should start happening pretty quickly now.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 3, 2009)

phwoar construction porn


----------



## lang rabbie (Nov 3, 2009)

teuchter said:


> If that's the steelwork proper, things should start happening pretty quickly now.



Isn't there an animation somewhere on the web showing the construction process - IIRC they have to build a separate bit of the structure to support the temporary crane to be able to build the main lift core.


----------



## London_Calling (Nov 3, 2009)

That construction site is impossibly compact.

Can you imagine the delivery lorries once they get up a head of steam.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 4, 2009)

There is zero space on site that is not in the footprint of the building. What they're doing is casting the ground floor slab so it can be used as a depot and storage yard, while the basements are excavated below and the tower is raised above. clever stuff.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 5, 2009)

Third tower crane going up today and I had my fisheye lens with me...
















You can see the tube running across the site delivering concrete from the mixer lorry to a slab being cast.

The mobile crane (a Liebherr LTM 1500) being used for its erection is almost worthy of Thunderbirds - 84m telescopic boom capable of lifting 500 tonnes up to 145m with an additional lattice jib


----------



## Boris Sprinkler (Nov 5, 2009)

I think they should call it the Shart.

You know. Like a wet fart.


----------



## teuchter (Nov 5, 2009)

cybertect said:


>



They haven't built the crane on the right very straight have they.


----------



## kyser_soze (Nov 5, 2009)

That crane looks like the best kids toy _ever_


----------



## cybertect (Nov 5, 2009)

teuchter said:


> They haven't built the crane on the right very straight have they.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 12, 2009)

update from yesterday lunch time:

The first bits of external structural steel went up on Tuesday (the pair of white painted columns). Large chunks of the ground floor slab have been cast.

The diggers are getting busy in the hole, exposing the plunge columns and creating the basement.






















I've created a photo gallery for The Shard on my site, so if you're into construction porn, there's a bunch more pictures there.


----------



## TitanSound (Nov 12, 2009)

Blimey, that thing is flying up. The last time I was there (about 3-4 weeks ago) they had just finished the piling!


----------



## cybertect (Nov 13, 2009)

quimcunx said:


> I think Shunt is a unique art space.  We will be losing that.  And replacing it with someone not in the tiniest bit unique.



They knew it was coming when they moved in and have had a pretty good run...

Shunt plans to relocate to new London Bridge venue 

_The Stage_, Tuesday 10 November 2009




			
				thestage.co.uk said:
			
		

> [Shunt co-founder] Rosenberg said: “When we first moved in [to the vaults], we thought it was going to be only for a year or so. Thanks to the generosity of Network Rail we have been able to stay there for this amount of time. We always knew that our time was limited in London Bridge Station.
> 
> “It [the new site] will probably be a very different space. The key part of the project is for a night time arts space where there is a variety of work being shown across arts forms, including live music, film, installation and performance, which will support artists trying out new work. It will still be a place of experimentation.”
> 
> ...


----------



## cybertect (Dec 3, 2009)

TitanSound said:


> Blimey, that thing is flying up. The last time I was there (about 3-4 weeks ago) they had just finished the piling!



It's moved on quite a bit more in the last three weeks. Ground level slabs have been cast. Basement excavation looks to be nearly complete, the reinforcement for the core is being installed and more of the structural steelwork round the outside has been erected.


----------



## kyser_soze (Dec 4, 2009)

You should start doing little notes over these pics, cybertect.

I assume that the collection of girders and reinforcement strips are the life core surround?

I'm impressed that they're storing everything in the basement area too...good pics again mate


----------



## little_legs (Jan 4, 2010)

i live nearby and when i passed the site this morning i had a nasty thing occuring to me: do i live next to the potential terrorist target?


----------



## quimcunx (Jan 4, 2010)

Are you like the can can version of little voice, little legs? 


And I doubt it.  Canary Wharf is more likely.


----------



## little_legs (Jan 4, 2010)

quimcunx said:


> Are you like the can can version of little voice, little legs?
> 
> 
> And I doubt it.  Canary Wharf is more likely.





just being paranoid i guess.


----------



## kyser_soze (Jan 4, 2010)

little_legs said:


> i live nearby and when i passed the site this morning i had a nasty thing occuring to me: do i live next to the potential terrorist target?



Yes, you live near London Bridge, which has a bridge and a transport hub nearby, so you already live next to _a_ potential terrorist target. It was a target before the Shard was even a gleam in a developers eye. If you're young enough to not really remember the IRA, arguably it was a target _before you were born!_.


----------



## Crispy (Jan 4, 2010)

Once they get construction out of the ground, it'll really shoot up. The current stuff is all complex as they do core and basement works in the same space. It'll be well on the horizon by year's end.


----------



## upsidedownwalrus (Jan 5, 2010)

I used to hate tall buildings unthinkingly, cos so many old council tower blocks were dead ugly.

Then I went to China and while most of the old-school housing blocks that dominate the country are pretty minging, the actual proper skyscrapers like they've got in their city centres rock.

My wife said when she came to London that she couldn't believe there weren't any tall buildings, she was in like Leicester Square and stuff and saying that it was like a country village


----------



## upsidedownwalrus (Jan 5, 2010)

But yeah the shard is blatantly going to look well amazing.


----------



## IMR (Jan 5, 2010)

I think it will look ugly and aggressive and sincerely hope something goes wrong during the construction so it can't be completed.


----------



## TitanSound (Jan 5, 2010)

IMR said:


> I think it will look ugly and aggressive and sincerely hope something goes wrong during the construction so it can't be completed.



There's always one


----------



## kyser_soze (Feb 11, 2010)

Think I might have to get myself to Ldn Bridge. Check out the groovy cover over the top of works:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=51609001&postcount=8470


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## Crispy (Feb 11, 2010)

that core is rising so fast


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 11, 2010)

Some more from the Londonist yesterday:

http://londonist.com/2010/02/in_pictures_the_shard_risesdamnably.php


----------



## kyser_soze (Feb 11, 2010)

That last overhead shot - fuck me it _has_ gone up quickly!


----------



## ChrisFilter (Feb 11, 2010)

Yeah, I noticed the other day that it was shooting up.

Everything looks rusty, mind.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 11, 2010)

They're saying the core is growing by 3 metres a day.


----------



## hipipol (Feb 11, 2010)

London_Calling said:


> They're saying the core is growing by 3 metres a day.



Faster than a Triffids lash!!! - common expression round these parts, then some o these blind buggers have a strange way with the language, an no mishtake Guvnor, oo arrr, Jim Ladd me 'earties.......


----------



## Crispy (Feb 11, 2010)

It grows in fits and starts tbf. I think 3m/day is as fast as it can go, but it often pauses.


----------



## cybertect (Feb 12, 2010)

It's peeking into view over Tooley Street this evening.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 19, 2010)

I wandered down there last night - a good high-level viewing area from the concourse outside London Bridge Station across to St Thomas Street, you can look down on the whole site fromt here.

Also spoke to a couple of the guys on the gates, they said the site went to 24 hour working 3 weeks or so  ago. I did ask how many cement lorries arrive each day, I don't think they really knew but said  maybe over 100 - that would be about two each hour through the two main entrances.

Seemed all very organised and efficient. Didn't realise it literally abuts the concourse at the station.


----------



## Crispy (Feb 19, 2010)

There's a marshalling yard further east somewhere, where all the materials arrive, then it's sent out in precise parcels throughout the day as the work schedule requires. Apart from the engineering and design success of uilding such a tall tower on such a constrained site, the logistics of building the damn thing are very impressive.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 19, 2010)

The marshalling yard makes a lot of sense.

Also, on the train coming up the jobbie at the Elephant looks pretty dramatic from way south. Still looks like it belongs in Gotham City to me.


----------



## Crispy (Feb 19, 2010)

Can't wait till it gets its turbines


----------



## teuchter (Feb 19, 2010)

Turbines?


----------



## teuchter (Feb 19, 2010)

Also I got mildly excited by the mention of a marshalling yard because I initially read it to mean everything was coming in by rail. But now I realise you probably just mean a compound with lorries coming in and out.


----------



## Crispy (Feb 19, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Turbines?



Strata, the one by E&C will have wind turbines






And yeah, they wanted to bring materials in for Shard by rail but there just wasn't the space or money for new goods yard sidings


----------



## teuchter (Feb 19, 2010)

Oh right, sorry, the elephant one.

The giant braun electric razor.

I've just noticed it has a scottish thistle emblem just below the big holes too.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 19, 2010)




----------



## teuchter (Feb 19, 2010)




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## cybertect (Feb 19, 2010)

Recent progress - the core is up to level 13 today





















and the first flooring is going in on the eastern side of the tower


----------



## Crispy (Feb 20, 2010)

Love your photos, here and that other place


----------



## teuchter (Feb 20, 2010)

Sneaked a bus into one of them, too.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 20, 2010)

Yep, nice shots. You've certainly covered most of the directions I saw. The only other angle might be from the platforms at London Bridge (high level - don't know about the others)  where The Shard kind of  looms over stationary trains and commuters in what seemed like an interesting way - but I'm in no way a photographer.


----------



## cybertect (Feb 20, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Sneaked a bus into one of them, too.





I have a gallery on my site with all my Shard pics, for anyone that's interested.

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/


----------



## IMR (Feb 21, 2010)

I can't wait for all the exciting retail developments that will spring up around the Shard once it's completed. Outlets like Yo Sushi! and Pret-a-Manger will really help give the area some much needed character.


----------



## Crispy (Feb 22, 2010)




----------



## PacificOcean (Feb 22, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Sneaked a bus into one of them, too.



I have lived in London all my life and never heard of Frien Barnet where the 43 is going.

*pointless unrelated to thread post*


----------



## cybertect (Feb 27, 2010)

London_Calling said:


> The only other angle might be from the platforms at London Bridge



That angle does provide a some opportunities







The core was up to level 16 yesterday. Not much longer before it reaches half the height of the Guy's Hospital Tower.


Big development yesterday was the laying of floor along the St Thomas Street side






Some other pics from the last couple of days
















On a personal note, if you go to the architects' web site - http://www.rpbw.com - and into the Projects section for the London Bridge Tower (the official name for The Shard) and take a look at photos 18 and 19 of its gallery, you'll find my copyright on them


----------



## cybertect (Mar 6, 2010)

The core rig is now at level 20. 

Word is that it will now halt for six weeks to allow the steel frame to catch up, after which they can raise the tower cranes and then carry on with the core.

Some photos from this week.


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Mar 7, 2010)

Can anyone explain why it needs to be so tall ?  What is wrong with having it the equivalent size of Guy's tower.  It looks like it'll dwarf everything.


----------



## London_Calling (Mar 7, 2010)

Policy - policy rubber-stamped by Livingstone and continued by Johnson.

This new generation of towers isn't necessary if it's deemed okay that London begins to lose its pre-eminence as a 'world city'. The argument is these towers have to go somewhere - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin - because they're European or World HQ's for multi-nationals and this is how multi-nationals want to work.

If that is the case, I suppose you have to think about how many people work in these towers and how much corporation tax those companies will pay, and that other companies might be tempted to follow to the city where this tower goes. It will be interesting to see who ultimately occupies the space to see if that argument holds water. Of course some might think the price not worth paying, even though London is now so vital to the national economy.

Personally, I think there might also be a strategic  element of giving 'the city' a major kick start south of the river - currently it's almost as if the Thames is an impossible barrier to surmount.


----------



## beeboo (Mar 7, 2010)

cybertect - your photos never fail to impress!   Fascinating stuff


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## teuchter (Mar 25, 2010)

From a couple of weeks ago...


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## hipipol (Mar 25, 2010)

Went thru London Bridge yesterday
When you realise that this is only the core for the central srvices, you get an idea of the sheer scale of the thing

Wait till they start demolishing bits of the station etc - its an awful place to use now, but for a few years, its gonna be hell!!!


----------



## Diamond (Apr 16, 2010)

Loads of concrete being poured in over the weekend apparently.

Borrowed from this cycling thread:

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=322164


----------



## cybertect (Apr 20, 2010)

Recent photos, mostly today


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## spitfire (Apr 20, 2010)

nice shots, that core is huge. (fnar). but seriously, it is.

i also like the way that they have it branded so you know what's going up. I lose track of the other ones going up in the city


----------



## jefflightfoot (Apr 21, 2010)

lol i thought the shard was a different building entirely! nice pics


----------



## bromley (Apr 21, 2010)

spitfire said:


> I lose track of the other ones going up in the city


The only one you need to keep an eye on is the Pinnacle, which is on Bishopsgate near Tower 42. That's going to look very special once it's complete!


----------



## cybertect (May 7, 2010)

yesterday


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## TitanSound (May 7, 2010)

Wow...this thing is flying up!!!


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## cybertect (May 18, 2010)

You betcha. 

The core has started rising again in the last few days. We're at level 25 as of today


----------



## Crispy (May 18, 2010)

My contribution - went up Tower 42 for sparra's birthday today (just one £13  champagne cocktail each please!) - worth it for the awesome views


----------



## cybertect (May 18, 2010)

Ah. I forgot that was you in the 'other place' 

That's a great photo with the evening light.


----------



## cybertect (May 25, 2010)

A small milestone was passed today, with the first glazing panels installed on the side adjacent to the pedestrian bridge.






The red bars are the blind boxes. The blinds themselves are light grey.

I have it on good authority that Renzo Piano likes a little touch of colour in an otherwise neutral façade.


----------



## Crispy (May 25, 2010)

That glass is nice and clear  - no green or blueness to it at all


----------



## bromley (May 26, 2010)

Is the pedestrian bridge the one's over Tooley Street or is it a new one?


----------



## cybertect (May 26, 2010)

The Shard site is on the other (south) side of the station - the foot bridge is over St Thomas Street to give access to Guy's Hospital.


----------



## teuchter (May 26, 2010)

cybertect said:


> You betcha.
> 
> The core has started rising again in the last few days. We're at level 25 as of today



I was looking at the core the other day and was wondering what was going on up the side. It looks like there is some sort of opening through the concrete at each level, but after a certain height there aren't any (although there is some sort of marking in the concrete). Are the openings bashed out through the concrete after it's been cast, or something, I wonder?


----------



## TitanSound (May 26, 2010)

They are for the lift doors on each floor. I am guessing there are none on certain sides at certain levels because of the eventual floor design?


----------



## Crispy (May 26, 2010)

They exist at every level and they're temporary formwork for openings in the concrete (the older ones have been exposed to the elements for longer so they're more obvious). No way to safely remove that formwork until the steel floors catch up, so there it remains.

They're not actual lift doors btw. but access to the central core corridors and lobbies. the lifts all face inwards


----------



## ddraig (May 26, 2010)

amazing pics, thanks a lot! can totally picture it now and where it is.
huuuuuge


----------



## Gromit (May 26, 2010)

The Gherkin people must be pissed. They've been the iconic London building that gets shown on backdrops n things to represent / show that its London etc.

The Shard will take over from them once its completed.

I believe that the Gherkin has never managed to sell / let all its spaces. Me thinks that it never will now that it will become second fiddle to the shard.


----------



## kyser_soze (May 26, 2010)

There's plenty of not 100% let office space around that area - Bishopsgate building, the new one at the other end of Lpool street (by the Light Bar).

The Gherkin probably has more to worry about from the Helter Skelter being built than the Shard.


----------



## Crispy (May 26, 2010)

Indeed. Shard's offices are low down the building and will be relatively low-rent. The middle section will be a "6-star" hotel and the top section will be multi-million penthouses.

Most buildings never reach 100% occupancy, because tennants want whole floors or portions of floors, the gaps between which can't be easily filled in with multiple small tennants (nor is this desirable, you end up 'fragmenting' the space, just like a hard drive)


----------



## cybertect (May 26, 2010)

How things move on in little over a week


----------



## kyser_soze (May 26, 2010)

I also suspect there's some kind of financial alchemy involved wrt having a certain amount of empty space. I mean look at The Ark; aside from Seagram being in there a few years it's remained unlet since it was built, yet it hasn't been demolished and replaced.


----------



## bromley (May 26, 2010)

The hotel is going to have a car park just below it in the middle of the building, so there will therefore be a car lift lifting cars 30 floors or so.


----------



## Crispy (May 26, 2010)

bromley said:


> The hotel is going to have a car park just below it in the middle of the building, so there will therefore be a car lift lifting cars 30 floors or so.


you sure about that?


----------



## cybertect (May 26, 2010)

I don't recall anything like that in the core configuration before it took off upward, nor have I heard of such an idea before. 

There's _very_ limited parking for the building on site, I do know that.


----------



## cybertect (May 26, 2010)

Ground floor plan from Southwark Planning Dept.

http://planningonline.southwarksites.com/planningonline2/DocsOnline/Documents/44436_1.pdf

no room there for a car lift.


----------



## T.H.R (May 28, 2010)

Could someone tell me why the Shard is such a toothpick? It looks very skinny.


----------



## bromley (May 28, 2010)

T.H.R said:


> Could someone tell me why the Shard is such a toothpick? It looks very skinny.


For aesthetic reasons!

Apparently the top 4 floors are too narrow to have anything in them and the mini-shard will have more overall floor space.

Same source as the car lift so don't take that too seriously!  I will double check with him.


----------



## gamma globulins (May 28, 2010)

They're just building the core ATM aren't they?


----------



## Crispy (May 28, 2010)

No, they're up to level 13 with the surrounding steel frame now.


----------



## gamma globulins (May 28, 2010)

Really? On reflection I haven't been back to london for nearly two months now so most of my observations are probably outdated. Do you have those flying cars yet?


----------



## T.H.R (Jun 2, 2010)

gamma globulins said:


> Really? On reflection I haven't been back to london for nearly two months now so most of my observations are probably outdated. Do you have those flying cars yet?



Yes, but they don't come south of the river.


----------



## Crispy (Jun 2, 2010)




----------



## cybertect (Jun 4, 2010)

bromley said:


> For aesthetic reasons!
> 
> Apparently the top 4 floors are too narrow to have anything in them and the mini-shard will have more overall floor space.
> 
> Same source as the car lift so don't take that too seriously!  I will double check with him.



The top floors were originally scheduled to contain the 'Radiator', a passive 'heat rejection' device that would have helped disperse excess heat from the building (but without the energy costs associated with more traditional air-conditioning units).

IIRC, it was originally scheduled to take 15 storeys, then as the technology improved over the planning process, that was reduced to eight floors (short floors at 2.6m floor-to-floor height)

With other technological changes that have occurred over the ten years since the design began, the excess heat is now being recycled through the rest of the HVAC system. The Radiator became redundant as there are now better ways to do the same thing and it was dropped from the scheme last year. 

I believe four of the floors will be taken up with some other plant, leaving four floors which they's still deciding what to do with.


----------



## teuchter (Jun 4, 2010)

They should install a giant discoball and some massive lasers in the empty floors and make the whole of London into a dancefloor.


----------



## Crispy (Jun 4, 2010)

Multiple megawatt laser for shooting a dazzling beam of light 100km into the night sky. Please.


----------



## teuchter (Jun 4, 2010)

Well at least we agree that lasers should be involved.


----------



## London_Calling (Jun 4, 2010)

cybertect said:


> I believe four of the floors will be taken up with some other plant, leaving four floors which they's still deciding what to do with.


Those floors are reserved for Bruce Willis to crush the plans of dastardly international terrah.


----------



## bromley (Jun 4, 2010)

According to source, who works on the job, the car park has been removed but was in the original design!


----------



## hipipol (Jun 4, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Well at least we agree that lasers should be involved.



The Technology is moving so fast that by the time they are fitting it out it should be possible to have Holo Projectors capable of producing 700ft John Revoltas in full Sat Night Fevva regalia to dance over central London

Lasers are SOOO 20th Century, dontcha think???


----------



## IMR (Jun 4, 2010)

Sub-Tolkein drivel at the top of the Shard. Maybe they could add a statue of Lady Galadriel scoffing a Yo Sushi! meal.


----------



## London_Calling (Jun 4, 2010)

It looks like, well, a shard to me.


----------



## IMR (Jun 4, 2010)

Yes, it does look ugly, I agree.


----------



## cybertect (Jun 5, 2010)

IMR said:


> Sub-Tolkein drivel at the top of the Shard



I assume you're on about this









Piano's first design for the Shard was completed in 2000, over a year before even Peter Jackson's first instalment of the LoTR trilogy was released.


----------



## Crispy (Jun 5, 2010)

I like the top of it. Spiky


----------



## Upchuck (Jun 5, 2010)

I was looking at that Heron Court (Place?) building on Bishopsgate and that's another scarily high buiding.


----------



## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

cybertect said:


> I assume you're on about this
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Independent convergence towards an adolescent's favoured aesthetic. See also the Petronas Towers.


----------



## London_Calling (Jun 5, 2010)

What would you prefer?


----------



## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

Public gardens with benches, a fountain in the middle, and a tea-hut painted green.


----------



## Cid (Jun 5, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Multiple megawatt laser for shooting a dazzling beam of light 100km into the night sky. Please.



Also


----------



## London_Calling (Jun 5, 2010)

IMR said:


> Public gardens with benches, a fountain in the middle, and a tea-hut painted green.


Tends to undermine criticism when the only alternative offered in unfunny and unhelpful.


----------



## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

London_Calling said:


> Tends to undermine criticism when the only alternative offered in unfunny and unhelpful.



Would have thought public gardens at London Bridge would be very helpful as somewhere for people to unwind. It's not a particularly attractive area as it stands now. 

How will the Shard benefit those already working in or travelling through London Bridge on a regular basis?

Enthusiasm for it seems to be almost entirely down to its projected height. If the Shard were only going to be half as tall, this thread wouldn't exist.


----------



## teuchter (Jun 5, 2010)

There's actually a fairly decent amount of public space been created as part of the More London/City Hall development just round the corner.


----------



## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

teuchter said:


> There's actually a fairly decent amount of public space been created as part of the More London/City Hall development just round the corner.



True enough, I've never been that keen on it though. It seems a bit bleak somehow.


----------



## Crispy (Jun 5, 2010)

Yes it'll be the tallest building in London, but IMO, it'll also be one of the worlds best looking skyscrapers.

Another benefit to the area is the rebuiilding of the bus station outside the station, and the entrance concourse too. Should be much more peasant.


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## teuchter (Jun 5, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Yes it'll be the tallest building in London, but IMO, it'll also be one of the worlds best looking skyscrapers.
> 
> Another benefit to the area is the rebuiilding of the bus station outside the station, and the entrance concourse too. Should be much more peasant.



Although that could also have been done sans skyscraper. But yes, it hopefully will be a good-looking skyscraper.


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## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Should be much more *peasant*.



Not with the hotel prices and St Pancras-style faddish retail outlets it won't


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## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Yes it'll be the tallest building in London, but IMO, it'll also be one of the worlds best looking skyscrapers.



Guess you're either into skyscrapers or you're not. I'm not keen on them for London, I don't want the city to look like Shanghai or New York or wherever. Too many would impose on the skyline. I like to be able to see the shapes of the hills and a mixture of buildings and structures old and new: church spires, gas holders, tower blocks.


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## cybertect (Jun 5, 2010)

IMR said:


> How will the Shard benefit those already working in or travelling through London Bridge on a regular basis?



Well, the construction alone is providing me with plenty of entertainment, and I pass through London Bridge station twice a day on my commute.



> Enthusiasm for it seems to be almost entirely down to its projected height.



No. It's a building by Renzo Piano and IMHO one of the most exciting skyscrapers that's been built in London for a very long time, if ever. I am a fan of Piano, I'll admit, largely because of his mastery of detailing.

Richard Rogers' 122 Leadenhall promises to be close if it does eventually get built, which is getting more likely, although the project is on hold at the moment.

That both Piano and Rogers worked together on the Pompidou Centre may not be entirely coincidence.


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## IMR (Jun 5, 2010)

cybertect said:


> Well, the construction alone is providing me with plenty of entertainment, and I pass through London Bridge station twice a day on my commute.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I would much prefer to see Gehry or Hadid responsible for some major new buildings in London. Higgledy-piggledy deconstructionism in sympathetic materials would be better suited to our city, imho. Sorry, I'm not a fan of Rogers! We'll have to agree to disagree on that one I guess.


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## cybertect (Jun 6, 2010)

I'd love to see a major building by Gehry or Hadid in London, especially Hadid.

At least be thankful it wasn't another Foster design - I can't move for bumping into them from where I work near Tower Bridge


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## Crispy (Jun 6, 2010)

IMR said:


> Guess you're either into skyscrapers or you're not. I'm not keen on them for London, I don't want the city to look like Shanghai or New York or wherever. Too many would impose on the skyline. I like to be able to see the shapes of the hills and a mixture of buildings and structures old and new: church spires, gas holders, tower blocks.


Which is why very tall buildings like this are restricted to the central City and canary wharf. Nobody proposes out of scale things like centre point any more 

Ps: the olympic aquatic centre is a major Hadid building


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## IMR (Jun 6, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Which is why very tall buildings like this are restricted to the central City and canary wharf. Nobody proposes out of scale things like centre point any more



The Shard isn't going to be in the City though. It's an encroachment on riverside Southwark, which has had a different character to the City for many centuries. I think it is out of scale to its surroundings. It's going to loom over the whole district between Blackfriars Road and Tower Bridge Road.


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## cybertect (Jun 6, 2010)

It's not as if the old PriceWaterhouseCoopers building it's replacing was only three storeys tall though, or the 145m Guy's Hospital tower next door.






and the 'Baby Shard' by Piano on the other side of the bus station will actually be shorter than the old Seifert building that's being demolished at present






Something else I forgot to mention in my earlier post that makes it different to the norm is the brief - it's a mixed-use building with hotels, offices, residential space and public viewing areas. I don't think that there are many similar projects in the City or at Canary Wharf.


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## London_Calling (Jun 6, 2010)

IMR said:


> The Shard isn't going to be in the City though. It's an encroachment on riverside Southwark, which has had a different character to the City for many centuries. I think it is out of scale to its surroundings. It's going to loom over the whole district between Blackfriars Road and Tower Bridge Road.


I think part of the plan is to bring the City to Southwark, or expand south of the river if you prefer.

It's also interesting to tie this building in with the East London Line and the redevelopment of London Bridge station itself - including  platform realignments. It almost feels like joined up thinking.

Here's a view of the Shard from inside what will be the concourse:


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## cybertect (Jun 13, 2010)

A little sequence showing the fitting of one of a glazing panel on St Thomas Street on Friday afternoon. 

Click for a larger version.






and a wide shot of the 'interior' (for want of a better term) along Joiner Street





Looking down St Thomas Street






and Gate 3 at the far end of the site, where St Thomas Street meets Stainer Street - the secondary core for the 'backpack' part of the building (not part of the main tower) is rising quickly now it's under way.


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## London_Calling (Jun 13, 2010)

Good stuff again cybertect, that public bridge is a blessing for you.

One thing this building has brought to my notice is the level of labour involved - at this stage it's basically a (very) few highly blokes putting together a giant  Meccano set. Not a lot of brickies or hods, for example.

I suppose that changes very quickly when the cabling and interiors go in . . .


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## cybertect (Jun 13, 2010)

Of what's visible from the outside, that's more or less true. However, there's a lot of stuff going on in the core and basement that you can't see with plenty of materials and labour going in.


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## London_Calling (Jun 13, 2010)

I see. 

And, of course, a lot of prep work off site.


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## cybertect (Jun 14, 2010)

Three from today


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## scanner (Jun 15, 2010)

I guess the area around London Bridge/Borough Market & Southwark in general must be the most interesting construction wise in the whole of London. I remember it when ships unloaded where the Cotton Center stands now.


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## cybertect (Jul 10, 2010)

A little update from Friday, as you can see the glazing is coming on in leaps and bounds


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## London_Calling (Jul 10, 2010)

Love the angle on the last shot in particular Rob, interesting senses of progressive scale.

It's starting to look broader than I thought!


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## DJWrongspeed (Jul 11, 2010)

is this not the 'vulgar imperatives of capital' (I.Sinclair) , discuss.....


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## Crispy (Jul 11, 2010)

I love the clarity of the reflections in those windows. They've specified some very nice glass indeed.


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## kyser_soze (Jul 14, 2010)

Was at a wedding reception at The Swan @ The Globe on Saturday, and as we walked over the millenium bridge from St Pauls D) I was amazed at how tall the lift core is. Can't wait to see this finished.


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## TitanSound (Jul 14, 2010)

Any idea why the glazing on the front overlaps the side of the building?


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## Crispy (Jul 14, 2010)

TitanSound said:


> Any idea why the glazing on the front overlaps the side of the building?


That's the design. It's not supposed to be a perfect spike or pyramid, but 8 seperate 'shards' resting against each other, overlapping or leaving gaps where they meet. The corners have opening windows onto 'winter garden' spaces. The overlapping facades protect these windows from strong winds. Here's a floor plan of one of the penthouses towards the top of the tower


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## TitanSound (Jul 14, 2010)

Ahh I see. Ta muchly


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## Crispy (Jul 14, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> Was at a wedding reception at The Swan @ The Globe on Saturday, and as we walked over the millenium bridge from St Pauls D) I was amazed at how tall the lift core is. Can't wait to see this finished.


It's currently at about level 36 (mid-level piazza in the image below) and will be at least twice as tall when completed. People are going to be shocked I think, at just how tall this thing is.






And now bend your brain with

http://www.burjdubaiskyscraper.com/...ard-london-bridge-&-30st-mary-axe-diagram.jpg

how big the Burj Khalifa (neé Burj Dubai) is in comparison


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## JWH (Jul 14, 2010)

I used to work around there. This is going to look great, I think.

Edit: blimey, I didn't realise it was that big though!


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## skyscraper101 (Jul 14, 2010)

Just awesome and cool


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## g force (Jul 14, 2010)

Went past it this morning...not really liking it with the glazing. Okay it's only in places but the red bars look odd.


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## teuchter (Jul 14, 2010)

TitanSound said:


> Any idea why the glazing on the front overlaps the side of the building?



As Crispy says it's a formalist thing - a kind of similar game is employed on the other Piano building, in Covent Garden -


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## teuchter (Jul 14, 2010)

g force said:


> Went past it this morning...not really liking it with the glazing. Okay it's only in places but the red bars look odd.



Looks like the red bars are roller blinds (?)


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## TitanSound (Jul 14, 2010)

g force said:


> Okay it's only in places but the red bars look odd.



They be blinds.


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## teuchter (Aug 25, 2010)

Apologies for the crappy image quality but this is from the other day -






This kind of illustrates how inefficient large towers are - look at the size of the concrete service core compared to the amount of actual usable office space around it at that level.


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## paolo (Aug 25, 2010)

Well, thin towers yes.

Similarly, the Gherkin is daft inside. Small floors and - on one of the Swiss re: floors I visited - the most cramped deskspaces I've ever seen. They were almost bumping elbows.

But, upside for the staff, you can take your mates up to the bar at the top. Which is jaw dropping.

Something tall with a good side floorplate would probably be an ugly monster (and perhaps structurally impractical) so we for tall we get skinnier and prettier. Not good for trading floors, but fine for hotels and apartments and small prestige businesses.


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## cybertect (Aug 25, 2010)

TitanSound said:


> They be blinds.


 
Strictly speaking, they're the blind boxes that the blinds roll up into. My sources tell me that the blinds themselves will be light grey.


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## cybertect (Aug 26, 2010)

A few shots of progress to this week.


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## paolo (Aug 26, 2010)

Fab pictures as ever CT... It's looking awesome.


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## teuchter (Aug 26, 2010)

I think it's fair to say it's going to be quite large.


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## PacificOcean (Aug 26, 2010)

Fantastic.  I love skyscrapers - it doesn't look that big though, despite Crispy's diagrams. 

Who's using it?  Do we know?  Is it just random office space or is it going to be some HQ for an evil conglomerate?


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## PacificOcean (Aug 26, 2010)

cybertect said:


>


 
* rustles anorak*

That building in the front of that picture used to be the entrance for London Bridge Underground station.


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## cybertect (Aug 26, 2010)

Aha.

That probably explains why it's used by the Jubilee Line Management Team now, according to the sign they've got outside.


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## cybertect (Aug 26, 2010)

PacificOcean said:


> Who's using it?  Do we know?  Is it just random office space or is it going to be some HQ for an evil conglomerate?


 
Mixed use: three hotels, speculative office space, a number of floors of apartments and two public viewing galleries IIRC.

TfL were going to be taking five floors of offices, but they've pulled out of the deal recently.


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## paolo (Aug 26, 2010)

From what I read, TFL didn't so much pull out, they were paid to - the developers realised they could now get far higher rents, so paid TFL big wedge to tear up the agreement.


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## PacificOcean (Aug 26, 2010)

Maybe with the money they can finally finish Brixton station?

Or do the "upgrade" works on the new section of the Jubilee line (why didn't they do it properly in the first place?).

Or fix the leaky roof at the Met/Hammersmith & City line at Liverpool Street?

Or........


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## cybertect (Sep 9, 2010)

The slipform rig building the concrete core has been re-jigged to slim it down and has taken off again in the last day or so.











Caught some nice sunlight with my new iPhone this evening


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## paolo (Sep 9, 2010)

Loving the updates Mr 'tect.

I walked past last week, and stopped to look up. I mentally converged the angled sides, to make a point in the sky... and though OMFG. I reckon the distorted perspective effect will make it look stratospheric, when viewed close up. Can't wait to see it reach for the skies as time goes on.


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## teuchter (Sep 9, 2010)

yeah, trying to judge where the angled sides will meet gives a pretty good impression of how big it's going to be.


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## cybertect (Sep 10, 2010)

FWIW, it's about half way up at the moment.


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## bromley (Sep 10, 2010)

The central core is flying again, is the aim a floor a day before the next size readjustment?

What is the smaller concrete core to the East of the building for?


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## teuchter (Sep 14, 2010)

This - taken from Peckham - is not really a very good quality photo but you can see the Shard (this was about a week or two ago) and get some idea how much it'll eventually dominate the skyline in terms of height when viewed from south London.







edit - Actually you can't see it because stupid Flickr have changed their direct link stuff somehow


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## maldwyn (Sep 14, 2010)

A nice Turner sky, though.


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## Crispy (Sep 14, 2010)

bromley said:


> The central core is flying again, is the aim a floor a day before the next size readjustment?
> 
> What is the smaller concrete core to the East of the building for?


 
There's a 19-Storey "wing" to the building to allow for larger floorplates, which is what the office market wants. It kinda spoils the pure shape of the tower, but only on that side.


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## editor (Sep 15, 2010)

I've posted up a small feature and linked it to this thread. 











I didn't realise the Bishopgate Tower was going to be a metre higher than the Shard until the CAA slapped 'em down.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-shard-rises-iconic-london-skyscraper-underway/


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## Crispy (Sep 15, 2010)

Quick note - the "radiator" in the spire has been removed from the design - cooling plant has got more advanced and efficient since the original proposal and they're no longer needed.


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## editor (Sep 15, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Quick note - the "radiator" in the spire has been removed from the design - cooling plant has got more advanced and efficient since the original proposal and they're no longer needed.


*edited because I'm babbling.

I'll add your comment in the article if that's OK.


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## Crispy (Sep 15, 2010)

No worries


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## teuchter (Sep 15, 2010)

Is the spire now entirely ornamental, then?


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## kyser_soze (Sep 15, 2010)

I have to say, I'm really loving the west-facing view they've got on the Shard homepage - really puts the development into context with it's surroundings. It's going to look fucking awesome when finished, isn't it? That, the Heron Tower and the Pinnacle/Bishopsgate Tower/Helter Skelter...just one question, is the Cheese Grater (No 22 Leadenhall) still going up?


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## cybertect (Sep 15, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Is the spire now entirely ornamental, then?


 
Last time I spoke to the architects, they were still trying to decide what to do with the space.


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## Crispy (Sep 15, 2010)

Cheesegrater (122 Leadenhall) is still on hold, but is likely to happen, the office market being what it is, the site is prepped and some piling done. It could start rising within weeks of a contract being signed.


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## g force (Sep 15, 2010)

There's no piling on that site at all. A very big concrete support and support posts and a ramp for access. And that's it.

And yes I doubt many more tall structures in the City will get to rival it due to City Airport flight paths, hence Bishopsgate amendment


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## Crispy (Sep 15, 2010)

The basement slab and much of the piling has already been done. tbf, the major piles for the service core at the rear have not been sunk, but the rest have.


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## g force (Sep 15, 2010)

*looks out of window*

You sure about that? Looks like one big concrete slab and nothing else with a big slope into it. Is it confirmed it will start again in 2012 as British Land were asking local residents their opinions on what could be done with the space.

The Bishopsgate foundations are looking immense already if I look a metre the other way


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## kyser_soze (Sep 15, 2010)

According to the Wiki page, the Bishopsgate/Pinnacle/Helter Skelter pilings are the deepest in London at 66.5m below site, and 48.5m below sea level.


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## g force (Sep 15, 2010)

As that drunk bank worker found to his cost when he jumped over the hoardings a few weeks ago...was saved by a steel girder.


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## Crispy (Sep 15, 2010)

BL were going to put a garden/city farm thing on the site, but then cancelled it. They're actively canvassing for tennants and I'm sure they'll get some soon. Rents are so high that all new office space is high demand. Also, now that Boris has tightened the St. Pauls sightlines rules, any other building for the site would be even smaller and have a harder time getting planning permission. My informed gut feeling is that this will be built, and soon.


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## g force (Sep 16, 2010)

Something may well be built....not convinced the Cheesegrater will return as planned though at least not as a speculative build. There's a lot of emtpy office space in The City - Broadgate Tower's occupancy levels are low, former Stock Exchange site is about 50% full and struggling to get people in.


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## hipipol (Sep 22, 2010)

E Financial News reported this week  - cant post a link as its subsciption only - report a downturn in securities trading (stocks, bonds, etc) of 42% since 2007 - which could translate to over 10k job losses in UK financial services. Suspect there be be a lot of empty space farily soon


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## bromley (Sep 22, 2010)

Is the central core now taller than 1 Canada square? I see it's gone past 50 floors.


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## Crispy (Sep 22, 2010)

Not yet. But soon


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## editor (Sep 22, 2010)

I can just see the top of the Shard from my flat now.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Sep 22, 2010)

I saw this yesterday. It was quite a surprise. I didn't notice it last week when I went past. Actually I went past it twice on Saturday and didn't see it. Did it go up on Monday?


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## bromley (Sep 22, 2010)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Did it go up on Monday?


No, Sunday.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Sep 22, 2010)

Oh I just assumed that nobody worked on Sunday. That's dedication.


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## Dan U (Sep 23, 2010)

really dominating the sky line now when i look from my work in East India, has shot up recently.

does anyone know how the fuck they get those cranes up/down from the roof? (apols if its on the thread already)


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## TitanSound (Sep 23, 2010)

Dan U said:


> really dominating the sky line now when i look from my work in East India, has shot up recently.
> 
> does anyone know how the fuck they get those cranes up/down from the roof? (apols if its on the thread already)


 
I was just looking on the thread on the Skyscrapercity forums and thinking the exact same thing. It was put in when the core was started so that's an easy answer but the getting it down part...not so sure.


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## Crispy (Sep 23, 2010)

The cranes/concrete pumps on the roof are dinky and can come down in bits via the tower cranes
The tower cranes build themselves, jacking up on hydraulic pistons, then fitting a new tower piece in the gap. And the reverse to take them down

Oh, and it'll be taller than 1 Canada Square when it gets to level 69 or thereabouts. So another 18 floors (and one more core stepback)


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## Dan U (Sep 23, 2010)

wow, thats pretty cool


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## Streathamite (Sep 23, 2010)

at the picnic with a view t'other day we were talking about how it was already beginning to impose itself on th skyline - and it's only halfway there. I am seriously grooving to THe Shard now. But then - what do I know? I like the Gherkin.


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## Crispy (Sep 23, 2010)

The gherkin is a fantastic building, you have taste


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## kyser_soze (Sep 23, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> at the picnic with a view t'other day we were talking about how it was already beginning to impose itself on th skyline - and it's only halfway there. I am seriously grooving to THe Shard now. But then - what do I know? I like the Gherkin.


 
I was just about to mention that - from Dawson's Hill it looks like the Shard, Tower 42, Heron Tower are all the same height, and the Gherkin slightly lower.


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## Dan U (Sep 23, 2010)

Gherkin is clearly the best tall building in London to date.


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## Crispy (Sep 23, 2010)

Dan U said:


> Gherkin is clearly the best tall building in London to date.


 
Agreed. It's a skyscraper without a single external vertical line or plane. Such a cohesive form 
Rubbish floorplans though  No wonder it's half empty (or however empty it is)


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## Streathamite (Sep 23, 2010)

oh wow! GHerkin fans! COMRADES! I SALUTE YOU! VIVA GHERKIN!


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## Gromit (Sep 23, 2010)

The gherkin looks fab from the outside. The more I see it the more i stop and think, cool design.

But there is more to being a good building than looking cool. Lets hope the shard gets that bit right.

Can't believe that its going to be double the height that it is now.


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## Crispy (Sep 23, 2010)

It won't be double the height (the halfway point was reached a week or 2 ago)
It's at about 185m now, and will be 310m to the tip when complete.

The recent rapid pace of the core will pause shortly to allow the steel to catch up again, then there's the final stepback to add the last 100m of core, which will look very tall and spindly.


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## Lord Camomile (Sep 23, 2010)

The Gherkin is lame. There, I said it.


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## Streathamite (Sep 23, 2010)

Crispy said:


> No wonder it's half empty (or however empty it is)


tbf, the London comercial property market has taken a bit of a battering over the past coupla years


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## skyscraper101 (Sep 23, 2010)

I like that Jeff Randall show they do from the Gherkin on sky news.


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## g force (Sep 23, 2010)

Gherkin is pretty full at the mo...certainly better occupancy than a while back. Not the most practical of office spaces but a great place to work.


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## hipipol (Sep 27, 2010)

*Of all the Citys buildings...*

I get a big buzz out of Dunster Court












Crazed 1980s Gothic, a little bit of Gotham.....they should have a lazer Bat Signal overhead


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## maldwyn (Sep 27, 2010)

That's one favorites.


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## kyser_soze (Sep 27, 2010)

hipipol said:


> I get a big buzz out of Dunster Court
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Isn't that the Insurance Underwriters building? Yeah, mental shapes.


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## editor (Sep 27, 2010)

It's leapt up in just a couple of weeks!











More pics: http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-london-shard-reaches-for-the-sky-photos/


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## Lord Camomile (Sep 27, 2010)

It really has. Is it simplistic to think that it's quicker to finish each level because it's slimmer?


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## Crispy (Sep 27, 2010)

The steelwork does get faster with each floor, yes.

The concrete core can rise very fast indeed - a floor a day now, but they don't do it all at once.

When the steelwork gets to level 34 (level with the middle crane in ed's photo), they will swap over to concrete floors for the hotel. This will be slower to build than the steel floors below.


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## cybertect (Sep 27, 2010)

hipipol said:


> I get a big buzz out of Dunster Court


 
FWIW, the building's called Minster Court, not Dunster Court, which is a street it's on.

One of my most hated London buildings of the 1980s. It makes me shudder every time I see it 

Though the same firm of architects (Gollins Melvin Ward) were, in 1969, responsible for the St Helens building (AKA the Commercial Union Building) and 122 Leadenhall Street for P&O (recently demolished from the bottom up) which are/were two classy Miesian towers.


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## paolo (Sep 27, 2010)

One of my most hated too. When I look at the skyline from the South Bank, it really jars.

I think I have a hate for modern interpretations of classic styles. There was a phase of dreadful 80s/90s neo Greek stuff. It spread like a disease, where you'd find twiddly roof lines topping off generic Thames Valley business parks. Horrible.


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## DJWrongspeed (Sep 28, 2010)

From Brixton Hill it's starting to look like some terrible panopitcon ,  saruman's evil tower casting it's eye across the city.


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## hipipol (Sep 28, 2010)

cybertect said:


> FWIW, the building's called Minster Court, not Dunster Court, which is a street it's on.
> 
> One of my most hated London buildings of the 1980s. It makes me shudder every time I see it
> 
> Though the same firm of architects (Gollins Melvin Ward) were, in 1969, responsible for the St Helens building (AKA the Commercial Union Building) and 122 Leadenhall Street for P&O (recently demolished from the bottom up) which are/were two classy Miesian towers.



Oops - I used to work in the building it replaced - sure that was called Dunster House, so I suppose I have always simply conflated the names......Je Suis un Grand Arse!!!!


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## bromley (Sep 28, 2010)

I like the Minster Court, it looks so evil!!

Still unconvinced by the shard, but looking forward to the sky high observation area, something London's been missing for years.


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## blossie33 (Sep 28, 2010)

While I was waiting in a queue to see inside a building on Open House weekend a guy in front was saying to one of his friends that he wondered why they hadn't opened the Shard for viewing  -  er, right?!!  A little matter of health and safety regs on a building site I imagine, to say the least!


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## Streathamite (Sep 28, 2010)

bromley said:


> I like the Minster Court, it looks so evil!!


um, so do I


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## hipipol (Sep 29, 2010)

*I was rigtht about the name*

It IS Dunster Court






Its written on the bloody gate!!!!!!


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## story (Sep 29, 2010)

Pal of mine is about to start a stint of nights as a crane operator on the Shard.

I'll pass on any questions to him, if you like


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## Crispy (Sep 29, 2010)

The gate is over the entrance to the alley that the building backs onto. The alley is called Dunster Court, the building is called Minster Court


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## editor (Sep 29, 2010)

story said:


> Pal of mine is about to start a stint of nights as a crane operator on the Shard.
> 
> I'll pass on any questions to him, if you like


 Can you ask him to take some pics that we can post up here?


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## cybertect (Sep 29, 2010)

Based on others' experience elsewhere, if he does he may be asked to visit the site manager's office in short order.


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## TitanSound (Sep 29, 2010)

cybertect said:


> Based on others' experience elsewhere, if he does he may be asked to visit the site manager's office in short order.


 
Really? Are building construction techniques that secretive or something?


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## kyser_soze (Sep 29, 2010)

Talking of construction techniques, one site I am impressed with is the Prime Knightsbridge development on Knightsbridge, just up the road from No.1 Hyde Park, before the Knightsbridge Appartments. I'm guessing they're using a similar logistics & site layout system to The Shard as there's a whole big girder construction that looks like it's being used for storage, a drop off point for the trucks etc., all being managed on a really tiny site footprint (it's causing considerably less traffic problems than No.1 Hyde Park has whenever I come through on the No 52!)


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## story (Sep 29, 2010)

I can do that, editor.




cybertect said:


> Based on others' experience elsewhere, if he does he may be asked to visit the site manager's office in short order.


 

 I didn't mean industrial secrets or details of air conditioning shafts or anything. 

I find that I have loads of questions to ask him about what it's like to work up a crane, and since the Shard is so high and all that, people might have specific questions.

Like, did you know that when you look down from a really really high crane, the ground starts to loose colour definition and it all starts to look monochrome, so the slinger saying "the yellow skip" becomes a bit meaningless. (And if the slinger is really good, the crane driver can operate with his eyes closed, just follow the voice and instructions. )

And on the really high cranes, sometomes crane operators have to sleep up there cos it takes so long to get up and down that a twenty-minute tea break becomes a 60-90 minute break during which the site can't work at full capacity.

And they can see the weather coming in from a lo-o-ong way off so they give more accurate (very) short-range weather forecasts than the BBC.

And I'd like to know about what happens to the Shard when the wind blows, and how it sits in its footprint, and all sorts of other things that I've not thought of yet.


----------



## bromley (Sep 29, 2010)

I think he would get thrown off of site if he started taking photos, they have that rule at the Olympics. Only official material is allowed to be seen via the media, very 1984.

What I want to know is, if it's raining and the ladder is very slippery, how does he get down?


----------



## spitfire (Sep 29, 2010)

Pretty much every large building site makes you sign an understanding that you won't talk to members of the press or take photo's without permission. It's on the form at the induction.


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2010)

take photo's what?


----------



## spitfire (Sep 29, 2010)

Is it worth risking your job over? It would be fairly easy to work out where the shots were taken from if they ended up online.

........morethanmyjobsworth etc.


----------



## PacificOcean (Sep 29, 2010)

That's pretty big - what used to be there?

My memory is a little hazy, but after coming out of London Bridge; there was a Mc Donalds, some Georgian houses (surely they were Grade II?), and then the hospital.

How have they squeezed it in?


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 29, 2010)

PacificOcean said:


> That's pretty big - what used to be there?
> 
> My memory is a little hazy, but after coming out of London Bridge; there was a Mc Donalds, some Georgian houses (surely they were Grade II?), and then the hospital.
> 
> How have they squeezed it in?


 
It's being built on the old PWC building site. The Georgian houses are hospital residences IIRC...


----------



## PacificOcean (Sep 29, 2010)

bromley said:


> I like the Minster Court, it looks so evil!!
> 
> Still unconvinced by the shard, but looking forward to the sky high observation area, something London's been missing for years.


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 29, 2010)

Barely higher than the Shell building behind it. You get better views from Windows at the Park Lane Hilton & Tower 42


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2010)

There was a pretty horrible tower on the site before.


----------



## PacificOcean (Sep 29, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> Barely higher than the Shell building behind it. You get better views from Windows at the Park Lane Hilton & Tower 42


 
So will us great unwashed be able to go to the top of the building?


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2010)

PacificOcean said:


> So will us great unwashed be able to go to the top of the building?


 
Yes


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 29, 2010)

Go have a look at The Shard website - there's going to be a shopping mall and hotel halfway up, with a skydeck and restuarant IIRC.


----------



## PacificOcean (Sep 29, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Yes


 
I assume only on guided tours every few months.

I can't imagine them letting me in at random.  I would stop off at the 14th floor, nick all the pens and rearrange someone's desk.


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> Go have a look at The Shard website - there's going to be a shopping mall and hotel halfway up, with a skydeck and restuarant IIRC.


 
Yep, and then a dedicated viewing platform above the apartments, at about 250m.
It'll be like the Empire State, a special lift that only goes to the viewing deck, that you buy tickets for.


----------



## bromley (Sep 29, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> Barely higher than the Shell building behind it. You get better views from Windows at the Park Lane Hilton & Tower 42


Chhers! 

I found the London eye very disappointing.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 29, 2010)

bromley said:


> Still unconvinced by the shard, but looking forward to the sky high observation area, something London's been missing for years.


 
The Millbank Tower opened an observation deck to the public in August this year - Altitude 360°. It costs a tenner; you get a comedian-led tour [] and a glass of champagne thrown in.

There's a slew of them on the way. The Bishopsgate Tower (to be the tallest building in The City when it's finished) will have one, as will Rafael Vinoly's Walkie Talkie building on Fenchurch Street, which will have good views of the Thames. The project has been on hold for a year or so, but there are recent signs of activity suggesting it's under way again.


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 30, 2010)

I was about to take issue with the tallest building comment, when I saw your qualifier.

Must have been a bummer for the developers when Air Traffic Control said the original design was too high cos it's on a City Airport descent corridor.


----------



## spitfire (Sep 30, 2010)

cybertect said:


> The Millbank Tower opened an observation deck to the public in August this year - Altitude 360°. It costs a tenner; you get a comedian-led tour [] and a glass of champagne thrown in.
> 
> There's a slew of them on the way. The Bishopsgate Tower (to be the tallest building in The City when it's finished) will have one, as will Rafael Vinoly's Walkie Talkie building on Fenchurch Street, which will have good views of the Thames. The project has been on hold for a year or so, but there are recent signs of activity suggesting it's under way again.



Not forgetting Paramount at Centre Point: http://www.paramount.uk.net/

no longer a members club although I think you have to reserve a table for access. You may be able to go in for a drink, i'm not sure. Definitely phone ahead if you fancy it.

Excellent views as you are slap bang in the middle of London, hence the name. Centre Point.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2010)

spitfire said:


> Excellent views as you are slap bang in the middle of London, hence the name. Centre Point.



Indeed. I visited with a member in June - didn't know it was open to non-members on their own which was why I didn't mention it.




North West from Centre Point by cybertect, on Flickr




East is East by cybertect, on Flickr




Orion House by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> I was about to take issue with the tallest building comment, when I saw your qualifier.


 
I was _very_ careful with the wording


----------



## spitfire (Sep 30, 2010)

nice shots. some of the best i've seen from up there. it's open to the public now, but you can't just rock up for a pint.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2010)

A couple of iPhone pics from Weston Street and Melior Street respectively, taken shortly after nine this morning.


----------



## editor (Sep 30, 2010)

You can see how the Shard is going to dominate London's skyline in this sarf London view.






London is almost comically lo-rise compared to NYC.


----------



## hipipol (Sep 30, 2010)

editor said:


> You can see how the Shard is going to dominate London's skyline in this sarf London view.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Damn cool view from that hill......

We are low rise compared to Manhatten or Hong Kong as we are not an city on an island - we had room to spread out.

A wonderful  side effect is we have LOADS more parks

Av good thing, an all that


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 30, 2010)

> We are low rise compared to Manhatten or Hong Kong as we are not an city on an island - we had room to spread out.



That, and the ground in Manhattan and Hong Kong is more amenable to building high, whereas London's combination of clay & sand isn't.


----------



## hipipol (Sep 30, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> That, and the ground in Manhattan and Hong Kong is more amenable to building high, whereas London's combination of clay & sand isn't.



I suspect even if had been sand, were it a small space and the land got expensive enough, it would have happened


----------



## jusali (Sep 30, 2010)

cybertect said:


>


 


Crispy said:


> There was a pretty horrible tower on the site before.



Just for comparison like........


----------



## Crispy (Sep 30, 2010)

Good comparison 
The biggest change will be the removal of that horrid brown roof and the brand new concourse for the station


----------



## Refused as fuck (Sep 30, 2010)

Was walking around there at the weekend. Looked pretty amazing already.


----------



## Streathamite (Sep 30, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Good comparison
> The biggest change will be the removal of that horrid brown roof and the brand new concourse for the station


it's a shame they haven't taken this opportunity to thoroughly do up the whole of the station. It's bloody rank


----------



## Refused as fuck (Sep 30, 2010)

And not to mention, extremely tedious to navigate. Especially when you have 1 minute to catch a train and it takes 5 minutes to get to the platform from the ticket hall which has a massive queue because most of the ticketmachines don't accept VISA and debit cards anymore for some bizzare reason.


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 30, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> it's a shame they haven't taken this opportunity to thoroughly do up the whole of the station. It's bloody rank


 
They are. The new station concourse will look lurvely. Altho TBF building it out of 5 giant sheet of corrugated iron would look at least as good as it does now.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> it's a shame they haven't taken this opportunity to thoroughly do up the whole of the station. It's bloody rank


 
That's a separate project by Network Rail.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=7452943


----------



## Crispy (Sep 30, 2010)

Yeah - to clarify - the Shard project will re-do the existing concourse. The future NR project will create an entirely new concourse under the tracks.
But with DfT's bedget being cut all over the place, we'll have to wait and see if that one actually happens.


----------



## Streathamite (Sep 30, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Yeah - to clarify - the Shard project will re-do the existing concourse. The future NR project will create an entirely new concourse under the tracks.
> But with DfT's bedget being cut all over the place, we'll have to wait and see if that one actually happens.


yup, especially that the plan revealed in cybertect's link was first launched at least 4 years ago, without it having moved a single inch beyond the drawing board, AFAICT


----------



## Crispy (Sep 30, 2010)

The new viaduct for the thameslink line that they're building right now will help things out at LB, allowing more trains through - this is currently a major bottleneck.


----------



## cybertect (Sep 30, 2010)

Yep. AFAIK, the rebuilding of London Bridge station can't go ahead until the Thameslink 2000 upgrades are complete.


----------



## Streathamite (Sep 30, 2010)

does anyone know when the Thameslink 2000 thing will be done?


----------



## kyser_soze (Sep 30, 2010)

3000AD


----------



## Crispy (Sep 30, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> does anyone know when the Thameslink 2000 thing will be done?


 
It'll come in phases. The current phase aims to complete before the 2012 Olympics (and they're on target AFAIK). This includes the new viaduct at London Bridge, rebuilt Farringdon and Blackfriars stations and general platform lengthening on the main Bedford-Brighton line for 12 car trains.

After the olympics, London Bridge will be extensively remodelled, converting 3 terminating to through platforms, and building the new under-rail concourse. The Cambridge/Peterborough lines that currently terminate at Kings X will be connected to the Thameslink central tunnel. The junction south of LB (where the thameslink route joins the mainline) will be grade separated for greater throughput. They're aiming for 2015.


----------



## bromley (Sep 30, 2010)

The London Bridge remodelling can't happen soon enough, it takes me just as long to get from Waterloo East to London Bridge as it does to get to Lewisham from London Bridge.  The station is also a mess and you have to learn how to run and shout excuse me at the same time!


----------



## Dan U (Oct 1, 2010)

I've just noticed the big ugly building in front of the bus garage has pretty much gone! 

There be sky!  For now....


----------



## editor (Oct 1, 2010)

Here's the cheeky little fella peeking over the top of flats near me, with the Heron tower behind and a glimpse of Gherkin.






A couple more (not particularly exciting) pics here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-changing-london-skyline-brixton-views/


----------



## TitanSound (Oct 1, 2010)

Dan U said:


> I've just noticed the big ugly building in front of the bus garage has pretty much gone!
> 
> There be sky!  For now....


 
I think they are building a "mini shard" there?


----------



## Crispy (Oct 1, 2010)

TitanSound said:


> I think they are building a "mini shard" there?


 
Yeah, not as exciting - the walls are vertical and it's only 18 floors, but it'll be made of the same stuff and will complement the shard.


----------



## bromley (Oct 1, 2010)

Hopefully I'll get a stat right, here goes...

There's going to be more overall floor space in the Mini-shard than the real one.


----------



## Crispy (Oct 1, 2010)

Nope. 600,000sq.ft. in the "gem" and 12,000,000sq.ft in the shard. There's more _office_ space in the gem, by a small amount, but the shard has the hotel, apartments and viewing galleries as well.


----------



## cybertect (Oct 2, 2010)

Some pics from Thursday



The Shard: Guy Street by cybertect, on Flickr



The Shard: From Queen Elizabeth Street by cybertect, on Flickr



The Shard: From Guy's Hospital Courtyard by cybertect, on Flickr



The Shard: Gate 1 Delivery by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## kyser_soze (Oct 4, 2010)

The view from Elizabeth street is going to look phenomenal when it's finished. Great pics yet again cybertect.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 4, 2010)

I wonder just how many time lapse things have been set up for this; imagine they'll look pretty impressive.


----------



## PacificOcean (Oct 4, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> does anyone know when the Thameslink 2000 thing will be done?


 
Have they demolished Borough Market yet?

A lot of people weren't happy, were they?

Despite being 2010, they are still calling it 'Thameslink 2000" even ten years later and now it's First Capital Connect anyway.


----------



## Crispy (Oct 4, 2010)

Borough Market was never going to be demolished. A new bridge is going over it, and there are some new columns to support it, that's all.


----------



## story (Oct 7, 2010)

So my mate is doing nights on the crane this week, putting in steels. He tells me it takes him about 25 minutes to free climb up to the cab, and when he's up there he can see way out over London on all sides. He can see the curvature of the earth, and the lightening in the clouds and so forth. And planes are so much lower for him that he feels them looming when they go overhead.

He has posted some pics on his facebook page and it looks like they're taken from a helicopter. (He's reluctant to have them posted here for reasons outlined by others).

So my offer to get info and so forth has degenerated into a chance for me to show off instead 

But yeah, any questions you want to ask him, Urban?
PM me so I don't have to keep trawling through this thread


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 7, 2010)

story said:


> He has posted some pics on his facebook page and it looks like they're taken from a helicopter. (He's reluctant to have them posted here for reasons outlined by others).


Genuine question: why does he feel ok posting them on Facebook but not here? 

Sounds damn cool though; just how high up is he? Any idea just how far he can see? (Would imagine today would be good for sights, looks pretty clear, from down here anyway )


----------



## story (Oct 7, 2010)

I think cos this is public and facebook is more private? And he can simply take them down in a moment? Not entirely sure tbh.

Oh another cool thing: his mobile phone signal is shifty because he's too high up.

I asked how high he was, he said "About 10,000 feet" and when I spluttered he said "Maybe not quite that, but thereabouts". So almost two miles. Which is clearly bollocks  So I assume he's either not sure, or keen to exaggerate.


----------



## cybertect (Oct 7, 2010)

Lord Camomile said:


> Genuine question: why does he feel ok posting them on Facebook but not here?


 
maybe because he can limit the people who see them to his friends and family?

[I don't have a FB account, but it would make sense]


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 7, 2010)

story said:


> I asked how high he was, he said "About 10,000 feet" and when I spluttered he said "Maybe not quite that, but thereabouts". So almost two miles. Which is clearly bollocks  So I assume he's either not sure, or keen to exaggerate.


Men


----------



## TitanSound (Oct 7, 2010)

cybertect said:


> maybe because he can limit the people who see them to his friends and family?
> 
> [I don't have a FB account, but it would make sense]



Yeah, you can really lock down who sees your photos.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 7, 2010)

Can you ask him whether he has any water closet facilities up there?


----------



## story (Oct 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Can you ask him whether he has any water closet facilities up there?


 
teuchter, there are no water closet facilities in any crane cabs. Operators are expected either to descend when they have the need, or to provide their own receptacle into which they can urinate. Such receptacles range from empty plastic milk containers (preferred due to their relative opacity) to empty pop bottles (unpopular due to their narrow opening). Good manners dictate that each operator remove his collected waste at the end of the shift and dispose of it in the nearest available facilities. However, some operators have no manners.

As for what happens in the event of the need for more substantial waste, there are again various options, only one of which is to descend the crane.

When I asked my mate about the very high cranes, he informed me that the same protocols apply. Apparently H & S has not yet turned it's gaze on this issue.


----------



## editor (Oct 7, 2010)

Be nice to have a little fridge for beers and a microwave for a quick pizza while you're up there. Are the cranes equipped thus?


----------



## teuchter (Oct 7, 2010)

I wonder if any crane operators occasionally dispose of liquid waste in a more direct manner, without the use of receptacles and whether any impact such practice might have on the environment below are likely to be traced back to the perpetrator.


----------



## TitanSound (Oct 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> I wonder if any crane operators occasionally dispose of liquid waste in a more direct manner, without the use of receptacles and whether any impact such practice might have on the environment below are likely to be traced back to the perpetrator.



I think if a shit landed on someone's head they would be _preeeety_ sure where it came from. Well, before they get too high on the structure. Then it could be a pissed off steel fixer or something.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 7, 2010)

Liquid waste, I said.


----------



## TitanSound (Oct 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Liquid waste, I said.



Hotel, motel.


----------



## story (Oct 7, 2010)

teuchter said:


> I wonder if any crane operators occasionally dispose of liquid waste in a more direct manner, without the use of receptacles and whether any impact such practice might have on the environment below are likely to be traced back to the perpetrator.


 
teuchter, I too have wondered this. I imagine that throwing fluid about at that hight would render it into droplets fairly fast.


Or perhaps the wind (and it is usually windy up there) whips it about with the result that it ends up all over the person who was doing the disposing.


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

editor said:


> Be nice to have a little fridge for beers and a microwave for a quick pizza while you're up there. Are the cranes equipped thus?


 


 where did my post go 

I wrote a post about how there are crane cabs on really really high cranes in which some operators have to spend several days, which are like the cabs in long distance lorries, with nuke ovens and fridges.

And some stuff about how I imagine there must be two operators on such a crane cos otherwise the crane would be idle when the operator was off shift.

And how I'd ask my mate, but we don't always talk about his work when we meet up for a pint and a chat.


----------



## quimcunx (Oct 8, 2010)

When I come down Brixton Hill sitting up top at the front on the bus I get a good view of the top third of the gherkin.  The other day I noted it was partially obscured by the Shard and that the shard dwarfs it height wise already.  It is going to be high isnt' it.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 8, 2010)

story said:


> teuchter, I too have wondered this. I imagine that throwing fluid about at that hight would render it into droplets fairly fast.
> 
> 
> Or perhaps the wind (and it is usually windy up there) whips it about with the result that it ends up all over the person who was doing the disposing.


 
I would imagine that the person doing the dispensing would soon learn to take wind direction into account.


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

teuchter said:


> I would imagine that the person doing the dispensing would soon learn to take wind direction into account.


 

Och you're a clever man, teuchter


----------



## teuchter (Oct 8, 2010)

The benefits of a Highland upbringing


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

So, not so much _clever_ as experienced, then.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 8, 2010)

Arguably.


----------



## editor (Oct 8, 2010)

story said:


> where did my post go


I've no idea, sorry.


----------



## bromley (Oct 8, 2010)

How do they free climb down after a rain storm when the ladder is very wet and slippery? Parachute, night in the cab, rescue team with a tea towel or by being careful?


----------



## hipipol (Oct 8, 2010)

bromley said:


> How do they free climb down after a rain storm when the ladder is very wet and slippery? Parachute, night in the cab, rescue team with a tea towel or by being careful?



Kiddy shit compared to climbing the derrick on a semi-submersible exploration rig in the north sea during a force 7 gale at 2am in February - the whole thing is flinging itself about like crazy, its pitch fucking black and freezing

Something evryone should do once at least afore they pop their clogs


----------



## Crispy (Oct 8, 2010)

hipipol said:


> Kiddy shit compared to climbing the derrick on a semi-submersible exploration rig in the north sea during a force 7 gale at 2am in February - the whole thing is flinging itself about like crazy, its pitch fucking black and freezing
> 
> Something evryone should do once at least afore they pop their clogs


 
I shouldn't think you'd have to do it twice for that.


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

According to his latest facebook entry, he woke up this morning in the clouds


----------



## cybertect (Oct 8, 2010)

That would make sense







...if he was actually sleeping in the crane cab


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

Ooh, thank you for posting that, cybertect 


He was indeed sleeping in the cab. They don't wiggle the levers every moment they're up there. He kips between lifts if there's time, even during the day.

Cushy job 

And bromley: they just climb careful-like in the rain.


----------



## story (Oct 8, 2010)

Newsflash!  Just got a phone call from ma mate. It's windy up there tonight.


This is his last night up there.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 8, 2010)

We could go and fly some burgers up to him in an RC helicopter like with David Blaine.


----------



## cybertect (Oct 8, 2010)

story said:


> Ooh, thank you for posting that, cybertect


 
I just got off the train this morning and though it shouldn't go un-photographed


----------



## PacificOcean (Oct 12, 2010)

Saw it in real life today while on the 35 (The bus, not the floor).

It's going to be huge.  All are all floors plumbed and electrified as they go in or as that done at the end - they just have the ducts? 

Is the Heron going to be bigger or will the the MACE/SHARD, depending which way you come on the 35 - going to be bigger?


----------



## Crispy (Oct 12, 2010)

Heron is finished already, it's the boxy one by Liverpool Street and is 202m to the roof, 238m (IIRC) to the spire. Shard will be 309m to the very top, so 1/2 as tall _again_ as Heron. Just down the road from Heron, the Pinnacle (Helter Skelter) is just coming out of the ground. That one will be 288m, but will actually be higher than Shard by a couple of meters cos it's on a hill.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 12, 2010)

I think we need a dedicated Pinnacle/Helter Skelter thread.

Have to admit I don't know much about that one at all.


----------



## Crispy (Oct 12, 2010)

Done 

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/threads/335506-The-Pinnacle-Starts...?p=11140022


----------



## beeboo (Oct 12, 2010)

Despite the fact I see the Shard regularly on the way to work, I still like coming to this thread for a detailed progress update. 

Anyone who is interested in cranes might enjoy this documentary - The Solitary Life of Cranes:


----------



## Crispy (Oct 14, 2010)

The third 'step-back' in the core is underway now - an even smaller black box has started rising out of the last one 

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/P1010300.JPG

This should fly up super quick, just like the last one, so expect to see it popping up in even more unexpected views soon!


----------



## TitanSound (Oct 14, 2010)

beeboo said:


> Despite the fact I see the Shard regularly on the way to work, I still like coming to this thread for a detailed progress update.
> 
> Anyone who is interested in cranes might enjoy this documentary - The Solitary Life of Cranes:




I watched that docu. Shame it was so boring. It was more pretty views and music than actual facts or anything.


----------



## beeboo (Oct 15, 2010)

I'd go for meditative rather than boring, but true, it's hardly a fact-fest.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

Ma mate is now working both at the Shard and at a small site in Canterbury. Says that being on a 4-section crane after being up there at the top of the world is like being leashed.

And he posted a picture on his facebook page of UFO over South London  If I knew how, I'd link it or nick it so we can decipher it for him.


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

right click > copy image location > paste it here between img tags


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

strung out said:


> right click > copy image location > paste it here between img tags


 
Does that work for facebook? Never thought to try.

here goes...


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

yep, still works on facebook


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

strung out said:


> yep, still works on facebook


 
with a mac...?

s'not working....


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

.


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

on a mac, ctrl+click, then copy image location, put it in img tags

edit: make sure you copy image location, not link location


----------



## Crispy (Oct 18, 2010)

Nope, he must have his permissions locked down (I checked your post, you're doing it right)

You could right click, save image as, then upload it to www.tinypic.com


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Nope, he must have his permissions locked down (I checked your post, you're doing it right)
> 
> You could right click, save image as, then upload it to www.tinypic.com


 


Ooh, Big Brother...



Okay, I'll try this suggestion. Hang on.


----------



## paolo (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> Ma mate is now working both at the Shard and at a small site in Canterbury. Says that being on a 4-section crane after being up there at the top of the world is like being leashed.
> 
> And he posted a picture on his facebook page of UFO over South London  If I knew how, I'd link it or nick it so we can decipher it for him.


 
Your mate sounds like perfect material for billybullshit.com


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Nope, he must have his permissions locked down (I checked your post, you're doing it right)
> 
> You could right click, save image as, then upload it to www.tinypic.com


 
nope, still possible even with permissions locked down. story wasn't doing it right!


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

.


----------



## sleaterkinney (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> with a mac...?
> 
> s'not working....



Get a real computer


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

ooooh!


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

So what do we reckon. Something hanging from his crane?


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

The story is that it came in really quick, and when he radio'd down to the ground and said "Hey! Look up!", by the time anyone looked it had already shot off.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

aw shit, how to I now remove it from tinypic before it goes viral....


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> aw shit, how to I now remove it from tinypic before it goes viral....


 
it's not on tinypic, you've linked it straight from facebook.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

strung out said:


> it's not on tinypic, you've linked it straight from facebook.


 
Yeah, I worked out how to do that but only after I'd already tinypic'ed it


----------



## paolo (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> aw shit, how to I now remove it from tinypic before it goes viral....


 
Too late, I've saved it. 

This is brilliant. Two miles up, curvature of the earth... More! More!

It's so going on billybullshit :d


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

Image removed in response to this ^^ post.

I was asking for it really wasn't I.

It's not my image, so I should not have used it.


----------



## strung out (Oct 18, 2010)

ok. it was definitely a UFO though


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

By the way I have seen images he's taken that do appear to show the curvature of the earth.

That image I linked was from one of the two lower cranes at the sides of the Shard. The curvature of the earth photos are taken from the much higher crane that's on the very top.

The two miles up thing is blatantly showing off, or misunderstanding distances or something.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

strung out said:


> ok. it was definitely a UFO though


 


 It does look rather like a space ship, eh


----------



## bromley (Oct 18, 2010)

I missed it.


----------



## paolo (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> By the way I have seen images he's taken that do appear to show the curvature of the earth.
> 
> That image I linked was from one of the two lower cranes at the sides of the Shard. The curvature of the earth photos are taken from the much higher crane that's on the very top.
> 
> The two miles up thing is blatantly showing off, or misunderstanding distances or something.



Possible the shape of the hills in south London.

I've flown aircraft up to about 6000 ft, and at that height in the UK it's still hill features you see.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

So does anyone know how high the top crane actually is, then?

I'm guessing that the pics I saw may have been taken in Panoramic mode, which can give a curvatured affect.


But I have to say the pics are pretty damn impressive  Not just the UFO one, the ones of London all lit up at dusk and dawn are gorgeous.


----------



## paolo (Oct 18, 2010)

story said:


> So does anyone know how high the top crane actually is, then?
> 
> I'm guessing that the pics I saw may have been taken in Panoramic mode, which can give a curvatured affect.
> 
> ...


 
The top is going to be 1000ft if I remember rightly, so the cranes are currently topping out at about 700ft perhaps?

The views *will* be spectacular. The highest I've done is the bar in the cap of the Gherkin. Plus a few illicit roof visits to about the 30 floor level. Even that 'low', it's gobsmacking.

It's a bit sad in a way your mate needs to fantasise. A crane op doing tall stuff will get a unique view of a city. Helicopter pilots, with their quick dashes, won't get the chance to drink it all in like that.


----------



## story (Oct 18, 2010)

paolo999 said:


> The top is going to be 1000ft if I remember rightly, so the cranes are currently topping out at about 700ft perhaps?
> 
> The views *will* be spectacular. The highest I've done is the bar in the cap of the Gherkin. Plus a few illicit roof visits to about the 30 floor level. Even that 'low', it's gobsmacking.
> 
> It's a bit sad in a way your mate needs to fantasise. A crane op doing tall stuff will get a unique view of a city. Helicopter pilots, with their quick dashes, won't get the chance to drink it all in like that.


 



It's a shame I've given the impression that he's a sad fantasist.

I don't think he is fantasising tbh. I think he just doesn't know how many feet is 10,000.

The UFO picture was either something very odd, or a prank. He's been known to pull pranks, and he must be a bit bored up there between lifts, even with all that glittering beauty to look at.

He loves his job because of the privilege of the views and the solitude.


----------



## A Dashing Blade (Oct 19, 2010)

Advice to anyone thinking about buying one of the 10 flats to be built . . . 2 have already gone, you've got to speak to the developers themselves (no third parties being used) and got the "impression" they're talking £10m-£25m (ie if you have to ask the price Sir, then you can't afford one)


----------



## London_Calling (Oct 19, 2010)

Thank goodness for quantitative easing then.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 19, 2010)

The Shard is clearly visible coming down Brixton Hill now. Luckily it doesn't quite obscure the Gherkin.


----------



## hipipol (Oct 21, 2010)

It can be seen from pretty much anywhere now in S London, well iside the curve of the hills - tho maybe Dulcich will escape because of Champion/Denmark hill.
I especially like the view from Nunhead Station - will try to get a decent pic from there but I suspect I will not be able to do the panorama justice, sweeping as it does from Canary Wharf right accross to Centre Point and PO Tower (Refuse to call it the BT Tower cos I is so ancient!!)


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 21, 2010)

Was admiring it on the way through London Bridge this morning, it really is getting huge. I can definitely see it from earlier on in my journey to London now.

Something that's been bugging me but I think was just a flaw in my thinking - why have they started the windows before finishing the initial structure? I think the problem with my thinking was that I was thinking about it from the POV of one person (or unit) overseeing the whole thing, and generally I tend to complete one aspect first, then start on the next (for example if you were baking a cake you'd wait for it to rise and set before icing it). I presume with the Shard it's just a case of time management and as long as they don't get in each other's way you can have two (or more, obviously) teams working on different aspects?


----------



## Crispy (Oct 21, 2010)

Getting the glass on means keeping the weather out which means the interior works can go on in a controlled environment. It's always the way with large buildings - if you did everything sequentially it would take years and years. There are many processes going on for a project like this, in rough order: Substructure, Structure, Cladding, Services, Internal Layout, Finishes. You can go through that sequence floor by floor.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 21, 2010)

Although for more conventional buildings, the priority is usually to get the roof on as early as possible for obvious reasons. I was wondering, how do you keep the weather out when you're building a skyscraper? They can't weatherproof each floorplate as they go up, surely?


----------



## Crispy (Oct 21, 2010)

I suppose the floors near the top of the glazed zone might have some wind and rain getting through the cracks, or down the lift shaft. But then glazing lags the floors themselves by quite a bit, so the screed/concrete will be dry and everything tidied up by the time the glazing gets there. By which time, there are multiple new floors above to protect you from the weather.


----------



## Dan U (Oct 21, 2010)

Crispy said:


> Getting the glass on means keeping the weather out which means the interior works can go on in a controlled environment. It's always the way with large buildings - if you did everything sequentially it would take years and years. There are many processes going on for a project like this, in rough order: Substructure, Structure, Cladding, Services, Internal Layout, Finishes. You can go through that sequence floor by floor.



walked past a load of lorries parked up down the side street with the windows on waiting to be called up the other day

unsuprisingly it is fucking thick!!!!


----------



## Crispy (Oct 21, 2010)

Engineering an all-glass facade under modern building regs is no mean feat. You have to keep the sun's heat out, but keep the building's heat in, provide ventilation, and still let the light through. Cladding systems are very sophisticated these days.


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

So my mate says I can post the UFO snap.











So what is it: something hanging from the crane?


----------



## strung out (Oct 21, 2010)

looks like it's got hooks at three points, with maybe cables coming off them. something hanging from the crane i expect


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

strung out said:


> looks like it's got hooks at three points, with maybe cables coming off them. something hanging from the crane i expect



Yeah that's what I reckon. He denies it of course, says he has other pics... which I've not seen.

But what is it?


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

But it also looks as if it's further out than the edge of that building, which would make it a long way further than the crane would reach...? 

 I'm not good spatial stuff and perspectives though.


----------



## cybertect (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm fairly sure I've seen one of those on the site and it's a specialised lifting frame, like this one for raising up the safety barriers that go round the floor edges during construction.


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

But the view is pretty cool eh


----------



## teuchter (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm trying to identify which pixel contains Brixton.


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

teuchter said:


> I'm trying to identify which pixel contains Brixton.


 
Well put a pointy finger in when you do, cos I've tried and failed.


----------



## teuchter (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm going to put my money on the centre of Brixton being somewhere about:



there. I reckon the white splodges a bit to the left of the finger might be the big white slab blocks between Brixton and Loughborough Junction, off Barrington Road.


----------



## cybertect (Oct 21, 2010)

I think that's right. Similar viewpoint - from the rear of Guy's Tower, so about 20 or 30 metres to the left, but about the same height.



 

Click for a bigger version where the Town Hall is about an inch from the left of frame

e2a: The magnificence of South London (from just a little further east)


----------



## story (Oct 21, 2010)

Urban75: takes a photo of a(n alleged) UFO and tries to find Brixton in the background 




It's a very elegant and characteristic pointy finger you have there by the way teuchter


----------



## cybertect (Oct 21, 2010)

Anyhow, back on topic... a few pics of The Shard from yesterday


----------



## story (Oct 22, 2010)

*is excited*

Great snaps, cybertect


----------



## Crispy (Oct 22, 2010)

I love that fold in the south west corner


----------



## teuchter (Oct 22, 2010)

It's got more than a little of the sci-fi about it hasn't it...

I think there's something inherently sinister about pyramid-ish shaped buildings.....


----------



## teuchter (Oct 22, 2010)

story said:


> It's a very elegant and characteristic pointy finger you have there by the way teuchter


 
I put my cufflinks on specially for the photo.


----------



## strung out (Oct 22, 2010)

teuchter said:


> It's got more than a little of the sci-fi about it hasn't it...
> 
> I think there's something inherently sinister about pyramid-ish shaped buildings.....


 
they're installing a giant all seeing eye on the top too


----------



## paolo (Oct 22, 2010)

teuchter said:


> It's got more than a little of the sci-fi about it hasn't it...
> 
> I think there's something inherently sinister about pyramid-ish shaped buildings.....


----------



## kyser_soze (Oct 22, 2010)

That glass looks stunning. Good to see they've kept it to spec so it looks like the renderings, unlike say the GLA Assembly building at OneLondon.

From these pics, it'll actually look camoflaged against the sky, it's so lovely and blue.


----------



## bromley (Oct 22, 2010)

cybertect said:


>


I like the outside climbing wall!


----------



## teuchter (Oct 26, 2010)

I was out in my helicopter earlier this evening and took this:


----------



## teuchter (Oct 26, 2010)




----------



## teuchter (Oct 26, 2010)

Not technically the Shard, but also -


----------



## editor (Oct 26, 2010)

teuchter said:


> It's got more than a little of the sci-fi about it hasn't it...
> 
> I think there's something inherently sinister about pyramid-ish shaped buildings.....


At least there's not a big owl there.


----------



## paolo (Oct 26, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> That glass looks stunning. Good to see they've kept it to spec so it looks like the renderings, unlike say the GLA Assembly building at OneLondon.
> 
> From these pics, it'll actually look camoflaged against the sky, it's so lovely and blue.



It's seems open to debate as to whether it'll ever be finished. And even if they do, it's even more debatable as to how they'll fill the rooms. NK isn't very big on tourism. 

The glass does look reasonable, but the shape... oh the shape. Sinister indeed.


----------



## kyser_soze (Oct 26, 2010)

I was talking about the Shard, rather than the hotel in NK...even so, that's a properly crazy building, which I blew up in Mercenaries several times


----------



## paolo (Oct 26, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> I was talking about the Shard, rather than the hotel in NK...even so, that's a properly crazy building, which I blew up in Mercenaries several times


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 26, 2010)

bromley said:


> I like the outside climbing wall!


Can't find it in the pic but if it's the one I'm thinking of I looked into it as a friend of mine is really into climbing but I think it was for a boy's youth club or summat (unfortunately she is neither a boy, nor a youth).


----------



## cybertect (Oct 26, 2010)

Yep. It's the side of the Salmon Youth Centre on Old Jamaica Road.

Google Street View (complete with people climbing with ropes and stuff)


----------



## paolo (Oct 26, 2010)

cybertect said:


> Yep. It's the side of the Salmon Youth Centre on Old Jamaica Road.
> 
> Google Street View (complete with people climbing with ropes and stuff)


 
That's


----------



## bromley (Oct 26, 2010)

Bottom left of the picture. They should put one up the side of The Shard!


----------



## kyser_soze (Oct 27, 2010)

cybertect said:


> Yep. It's the side of the Salmon Youth Centre on Old Jamaica Road.
> 
> Google Street View (complete with people climbing with ropes and stuff)


 
Did that used to be the Downside-Worth Fischer Boys Cluc? I've seen that building evolve from a basic 4 storey officey type thing into the grass roof/climing wall thing you see today since I came to London in 1992!


----------



## cybertect (Oct 27, 2010)

As far as I'm aware that's a quite separate club - http://www.downside-fisher.org/

Their place is up the road on Druid Street, still being supported by Network SouthEast after all these years 

Street View


----------



## Lord Camomile (Oct 28, 2010)

cybertect said:


> Yep. It's the side of the Salmon Youth Centre on Old Jamaica Road.





> The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to the site owner reaching his/her bandwidth limit. Please try again later.


 

That's the one though 



bromley;11181001]Bottom left of the picture.[/QUOTE]Oh yeah. [QUOTE=bromley said:


> They should put one up the side of The Shard!


Aw yeah!


----------



## hipipol (Nov 1, 2010)

*Not a derail, more of a sidenote*

This is a far more bonkers building.....






That thing on the top of those big blocks is a park!!!!!
Taken from one of the new Marine Bay Finance Centre blocks - Singapore

Oh yeah, to give some idea of scale.......the Ferriswheel on the left is bigger than the London Eye


----------



## kyser_soze (Nov 1, 2010)

I remember thinking 'OOO' when I saw that building during this years Singapore GP - the gardens on the roof looked awesome.


----------



## hipipol (Nov 1, 2010)

kyser_soze said:


> I remember thinking 'OOO' when I saw that building during this years Singapore GP - the gardens on the roof looked awesome.



Its just so HUGE! Will try to get up to the park tomorrow, cant wait to look down from it, well not TOO close to the edge like.......


----------



## hipipol (Nov 3, 2010)

Am in Hong Kong now, will try to get some decent pics of the mad towers here, the IFC2 is just HUGE, (will get up there for client meets over the next week, so....) but this is really not a derail, just dont know where else to post these......

















Its by far and away the most insane and marvelous structure I have ever seen, I hope tha Shard proves as awe inspiring (I wont use "awesome" as the word is SOOOO debased now........ EEE, when I were a lad etc.....)


----------



## beeboo (Nov 5, 2010)

hipipol said:


> This is a far more bonkers building.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
roof top park is cool concept, but blimey that is hideous!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Nov 7, 2010)

hipipol said:


> This is a far more bonkers building.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Only just had a look at this thread.  Any more pictures of Singapore?  When I went there, a friend took me to one side of the River where there were no buildings and told me in a few years, that area would be full of biuldings in a few years.  Wonder if it's that area?


----------



## hipipol (Nov 8, 2010)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Only just had a look at this thread.  Any more pictures of Singapore?  When I went there, a friend took me to one side of the River where there were no buildings and told me in a few years, that area would be full of biuldings in a few years.  Wonder if it's that area?


There is only a tiny bit of the Singapore River that aint built up, there is a little park near the mouth of it - well where the mouth of the river is at the moment - but thats it.
The mad park building is on reclaimed land, for example Raffles Quay is nowhere near the water now....
Didn't take that many pics but am passing back thru there next Sun/Mon so will try to get you a few....


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Nov 8, 2010)

hipipol said:


> There is only a tiny bit of the Singapore River that aint built up, there is a little park near the mouth of it - well where the mouth of the river is at the moment - but thats it.
> The mad park building is on reclaimed land, for example Raffles Quay is nowhere near the water now....
> Didn't take that many pics but am passing back thru there next Sun/Mon so will try to get you a few....




hm, doubt I'd be able to identify where I took my photos as not much there except tall buildings behind and Singapore's got loads of them


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Nov 8, 2010)

hipipol said:


> This is a far more bonkers building.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
That's got a massively long infinity edged swimming pool up there. Only for hotel guests though. It's the sole reason I fancy going to Singapore.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 12, 2010)

Some pics from Wednesday lunch time. The core was at Level 63 this morning.


----------



## editor (Nov 13, 2010)

cybertect said:
			
		

> Some pics from Wednesday lunch time. The core was at Level 63 this morning.



Nice pics. It's going to be mahoosive!


----------



## bromley (Nov 13, 2010)

The building on the right is UGLY.


----------



## sir.clip (Nov 26, 2010)

BBC LINK


----------



## teuchter (Nov 26, 2010)

Heh.

They should have interviewed cybertect too.


----------



## kyser_soze (Nov 26, 2010)

You can see the core pretty much from anywhere in London now. I was looking at it from a clear sightline from Kensington yesterday. Awesome stuff.


----------



## Stigmata (Nov 26, 2010)

Having just got a job in Britain's current tallest building, i'm feeling a bit put out. The construction site alone looks bloody incredible- when it's all floodlit at night it looks for all the world like they're preparing to launch a chunk of concrete into orbit.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 26, 2010)

bromley said:


> The building on the right is UGLY.


 
Southwark Council's new-ish offices on Tooley Street/Barnham Street.

Simon Hughes isn't a fan, either: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/4962

It's not great, but I'm not sure it's _that_ bad either.

http://www.ahmm.co.uk/projectDetails/20/160-Tooley-Street

and it has some interesting features in its construction

http://www.worldbuildingsdirectory.com/project.cfm?id=629

On topic: Some pics from this week.


----------



## pk (Nov 26, 2010)

On my train home I writ a poim.

"I like the ThE Shard, it makes me HARD"

I texted it to The Metro.


----------



## pk (Nov 26, 2010)

LOL, that picture above "hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut !!" like the Bues Brthers, crazy fuckers, what a job in the summer - and a quiet skint winter...

I love the Shard. I just worry about parachutists landing on the sharp end once it's all finished and that.


----------



## hipipol (Nov 28, 2010)

Had a look from the top o One Tree Hill tonight, its fucking HUGE

I suddenly feel a vile taste of awful seeing how big it is, and knowing that every other hungry land devveloping cunt will want something bigger
Mitsubishi UFJ have been asked to leave their Broadgate HQ by 2012, seems its gonna be chopped down so they can build upwards, just a rumour, but I wouldn't be surprised......


----------



## skyscraper101 (Nov 28, 2010)

I like the idea of bigger and more dominating skyscrapers in London. Bring it on.

This is a pretty cool photo of the Shard in the fog too...


----------



## paolo (Nov 28, 2010)

Nice pic.


----------



## Sgt Howie (Nov 28, 2010)

Brilliant pics on this thread, keep 'em coming!


----------



## Stigmata (Nov 28, 2010)

skyscraper101 said:


> I like the idea of bigger and more dominating skyscrapers in London. Bring it on.


 
The odd one is nice (and that's the best picture yet), but too many and London risks becoming indistinguishable from New York, Beijing, Sao Paolo, Tokyo, Melbourne, Abu Dhabi, Vancouver, Kuala Lumpur... and that would be a shame. Not everywhere has to be the same.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 28, 2010)

I like that the additions to London's skyline are clearly well designed, individual buildings. It's the deliberate policy of the City to only allow top-class architecture through planning and to prevent a horizon-to-horizon expanse of indentikit towers.


----------



## kyser_soze (Nov 29, 2010)

Isn't there also a more generalised idea of having pockets of tall buildings, rather than have them scattered all over? Canary Wharf, the City/SE1 etc?


----------



## g force (Nov 29, 2010)

That's the general plan I think...but within the City it's going to be far harder from now on. There's not that many places left to obviously re-develop - I doubt Broadgate area would be pulled down as there's too many business in there that would be affected just to redevelop it - you couldn't emtpty, kncok down and build up in Broadgate with causing massive problems. And we're not talking small firms here who would need to move staff...it's major banks/brokers.


----------



## rover07 (Nov 29, 2010)

I like this pic, gives a good indication of its relative size.

Wow its BIG!!!!


----------



## Lord Camomile (Nov 29, 2010)

It's only a model.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 29, 2010)

g force said:


> That's the general plan I think...but within the City it's going to be far harder from now on. There's not that many places left to obviously re-develop - I doubt Broadgate area would be pulled down as there's too many business in there that would be affected just to redevelop it - you couldn't emtpty, kncok down and build up in Broadgate with causing massive problems. And we're not talking small firms here who would need to move staff...it's major banks/brokers.


 
Don't speak too quickly. The red/brown bit of broadgate surrounding the icerink will be demolished for a new HQ for UBS.


----------



## rover07 (Nov 29, 2010)

Lord Camomile said:


> It's only a model.



Oh


----------



## Streathamite (Nov 29, 2010)

Crispy said:


> It's the deliberate policy of the City to only allow top-class architecture through planning and to prevent a horizon-to-horizon expanse of indentikit towers.


Is it? corporation Of London's doing?


----------



## Stigmata (Nov 30, 2010)

Crispy said:


> I like that the additions to London's skyline are clearly well designed, individual buildings. It's the deliberate policy of the City to only allow top-class architecture through planning and to prevent a horizon-to-horizon expanse of indentikit towers.


 
Yeah they're more often good than bad, but I worry standards will slip as such buildings become more common.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 30, 2010)

The protected sight lines of st pauls rule out much more skyscraper development. There's space for some round broad gate and the edge of shoreditch, but that's about it. Then the floghtpaths for heathrow and city airport keep everything at or under 300m, so nothing will ever be taller than shard and pinnacle.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 30, 2010)

Streathamite said:


> Is it? corporation Of London's doing?


 Specifically, peter reese, head of planning at the col


----------



## Rollem (Nov 30, 2010)

not as good as some of the pics on here, but the view from my kitchen window...


----------



## Crispy (Nov 30, 2010)

nice! jealous of your view


----------



## teuchter (Dec 1, 2010)

skyscraper101 said:


> I like the idea of bigger and more dominating skyscrapers in London. Bring it on.
> 
> This is a pretty cool photo of the Shard in the fog too...



That's a great image.


----------



## teuchter (Dec 1, 2010)

I was contemplating the other day the fact that because of its shape, in many ways the closer you are to the shard, the smaller it seems. Looking up at it from immediately beside it, it doesn't feel abnormally high. But when you see the photos from far away, like cybertect's above, you realise the true scale of it.


----------



## T & P (Dec 1, 2010)

rover07 said:


> I like this pic, gives a good indication of its relative size.
> 
> Wow its BIG!!!!


 Are they taking down the hideous monstrosity to its left any time soon? Appallingly ugly eyesore.


----------



## Crispy (Dec 1, 2010)

T & P said:


> Are they taking down the hideous monstrosity to its left any time soon? Appallingly ugly eyesore.


 
No they won't. It's a hospital. They might be recladding it though.


----------



## spitfire (Dec 1, 2010)

they could just paint it white.


----------



## strung out (Dec 1, 2010)

or sky blue


----------



## spitfire (Dec 1, 2010)

or even, sky blue with white bits?


----------



## strung out (Dec 1, 2010)

probably better to just paint it grey actually


----------



## spitfire (Dec 1, 2010)

Fuck. it's already grey.

back to the drawing board.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 2, 2010)

They could paint it white and make it a drawing board.


----------



## sir.clip (Dec 2, 2010)

T & P said:


> Are they taking down the hideous monstrosity to its left any time soon? Appallingly ugly eyesore.


 

I bet when Guys hospital was built allot of people thought it was a pioneering development in architecture.
Now its shadowed by The Shard, it becomes an eye sore..
This is the way of things to come I guess. Older buildings are demolished before they can ripen in the city and become iconic. 
Guys is the tallest hospital in the world.

Here is an article on the fish scale cladding it may recieve to try and fit in with the new neighbour


----------



## Moonchild (Dec 2, 2010)

Apparently Guys has been given quite a bit of cash (£25m IIRC) to spruce up the tower, as the developers of the Shard don't want it to be an eyesore for the occupants of their creation.


----------



## spitfire (Dec 2, 2010)

@ Lord Camomile.

classic.


----------



## paolo (Dec 2, 2010)

sir.clip said:


> I bet when Guys hospital was built allot of people thought it was a pioneering development in architecture.


 
In some ways it still is - it remains the world's tallest hospital.


----------



## teuchter (Dec 2, 2010)

It's already got some new cladding on some parts a ground level. Courtesy of the increasingly ubiquitous Heatherwick.


----------



## Crispy (Dec 2, 2010)

I do like that, but it gets dirty very easily. IMO, wipe-down surfaces (or materials that look good dirty, like bricks) are desirable in London


----------



## hipipol (Dec 6, 2010)

Crispy said:


> or materials that look good dirty, like bricks



Bogroll


----------



## teuchter (Dec 6, 2010)

Earlier this evening


----------



## lang rabbie (Dec 6, 2010)

teuchter said:


> Earlier this evening


 
Very Blade Runnerish.   Just needs some hover cars.


----------



## Lord Camomile (Dec 8, 2010)

It reminds me quite a bit of a Dalek at the moment, especially when the central column is obscured


----------



## teuchter (Dec 8, 2010)




----------



## hipipol (Dec 9, 2010)

Huge and mental,
It will be the ornamental,
Diadem in Londons nightscape crown
For years it'll stand,
Looking sparkley and grand
But will be a real bugger to try to take down


----------



## cybertect (Dec 11, 2010)

Photo update from Thursday


----------



## cybertect (Dec 12, 2010)

Some wag has edited The Shard's Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shard_London_Bridge#UNIT_floors




			
				Wikipedia said:
			
		

> UNIT floors
> 
> On the 27th of May 2010 a decision was made that the Unified Intelligence Taskforce may take over floors 73-87 in 2013. A small redevelopment will take place on the upper floors when the tower is still in use. All other information is classified top secret.


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## teuchter (Dec 17, 2010)

These may get a bit mangled in the upload process but anyway:






Several of the topmost floors are labelled "exterior viewing gallery"... is that what the radiator thing has been replaced with, then?


----------



## Crispy (Dec 17, 2010)

No, that's always been there. I think. The area above now appears to just have some stairs in it, for access to the window cleaner's hoist.


----------



## cybertect (Dec 17, 2010)

The Shard has acquired some Christmas trees for the season...




Christmas Shard by cybertect, on Flickr


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## clicker (Dec 18, 2010)

I saw those christmas tree lights on Monday night...made me smile....they had no need to go to the bother, but did anyway. Nice touch.


----------



## London_Calling (Dec 18, 2010)

Yep.

In general, it's really, really not doing Guy's any favours is it.


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## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Dec 18, 2010)

London_Calling said:


> Yep.
> 
> In general, it's really, really not doing Guy's any favours is it.



There've been signs up around Guys for a while that it's going be covered in some sort of cladding which will be energy saving etc. and presumably at least a bit more attractive.


----------



## Balbi (Jan 23, 2011)

Any new stuff?


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## Crispy (Jan 23, 2011)

They're building the climbing formwork for the concrete floors right now, which is why it hasn't been moving on up recently. Expect to see it growing again soon.


----------



## cybertect (Jan 23, 2011)

A few pix from Wednesday. The formwork is behind the blue screens half way up the building.




The Shard: SW Corner by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard: East side from St Thomas Street/Bermondsey Street by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard: Druid Street by cybertect, on Flickr

Lots more in my Shard Gallery if you fancy a look.


----------



## Crispy (Jan 23, 2011)

Do we know how quick they'll be doing the concrete floors? I'd guess one a week, but it might be more if they have a fancy system...


----------



## cybertect (Feb 10, 2011)

Tuesday




The Shard: Druid Street by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard: Concrete floors going up by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## sir.clip (Feb 10, 2011)

Oh to be in the crane on top.. what a view. love to meet the operator. I wonder what sandwiches he eats..


----------



## pk (Feb 10, 2011)

Nice pics cybertect ...


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## AverageJoe (Feb 10, 2011)

sir.clip said:


> Oh to be in the crane on top.. what a view. love to meet the operator. I wonder what sandwiches he eats..


 
Here he is.









MOAR pics - http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-e...llest-tower-2190274.html?action=Gallery&ino=7


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## TitanSound (Feb 10, 2011)

An admirable job seeing as he is doing it "blind". Teamwork and communication a must!


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## strung out (Feb 24, 2011)

they found a fox at the top of the shard lol http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12573364


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## cybertect (Feb 25, 2011)

Some pics from yesterday











and last week


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## TitanSound (Feb 25, 2011)

Wow. Last pic is amazing! Also, Back pack cladding looks like it's finished apart from that part at the top right hand corner.


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## Crispy (Feb 25, 2011)

That cladding really is superb  Such clear reflections!


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## cybertect (Feb 25, 2011)

TitanSound said:


> Wow. Last pic is amazing!




Ta 

I had a vague memory of this photo of Tower Bridge under construction in 1890 in mind when I went out looking to take that picture.



TitanSound said:


> Also, Back pack cladding looks like it's finished apart from that part at the top right hand corner.



The cladding on that part has shot up really fast in the last couple of weeks. IIRC there's a level of plant to be installed on the top before they finish off with another layer of the steel frame and cladding.

e2a: I like the resolution of the glazing at the corner a lot. Reminds me of the kind of thing that Mies van der Rohe used to do with corners.


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## kittyP (Feb 25, 2011)

AverageJoe said:


> Here he is.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I dunno about sandwiches but I spy some ready salted walkers


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## London_Calling (Feb 25, 2011)

I was expecting to see several posts about the fox?

If you haven't yet heard:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12573364


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## strung out (Feb 25, 2011)

London_Calling said:


> I was expecting to see several posts about the fox?


 
if you had read the thread, you might have found one


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## London_Calling (Feb 25, 2011)

That photo immediately below your post really attracted my attention.

As you were.


----------



## pk (Feb 26, 2011)

Great story... can't help but think the boys on floor 74 let him in and fed it at night though.

Must be seriously lonely up there.


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## cybertect (Feb 26, 2011)

Yesterday lunch time




At Wapping Old Stairs by cybertect, on Flickr


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## pk (Feb 26, 2011)

cybertect said:


> Yesterday lunch time
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I used to live bang opposite there, in Rotherhithe. Top floor of the wharf.


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## London_Calling (Feb 26, 2011)

Not looking at all incongrous is it.


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## editor (Feb 26, 2011)

London_Calling said:


> Not looking at all incongrous is it.


No more incongruous that Tower Bridge looked when it opened.


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## Crispy (Feb 27, 2011)

London_Calling said:


> Not looking at all incongrous is it.


 
Same could be said for almost any building in London tbf


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## London_Calling (Feb 28, 2011)

You don't see an issue of scale at all? Like that fucking great thing slightly to  the left of centre?


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## Crispy (Feb 28, 2011)

Doesn't bother me. This isn't Paris.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 28, 2011)




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## Dillinger4 (Feb 28, 2011)

There is something eerie looking about The Shard. I can't put my finger on it.


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## Crispy (Feb 28, 2011)

ie. a city of uniform style and height, unbombed and strategically planned out pretty much in one go. The Shard would stick out like a sore thumb, as a 300m tall tapering spike on the South bank of the river in a city that is predominantly 5 stories tall.

Hang on a minute.....


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## London_Calling (Feb 28, 2011)

Oh, a night shot with beautifully lit iron.

I  hope we've moved on a bit from 19th century sensibilities, especially but not only in relation to leaving exhibition tat standing.


----------



## cybertect (Feb 28, 2011)

Crispy said:


> The Shard would stick out like a sore thumb, as a 300m tall tapering spike on the South bank of the river in a city that is predominantly 5 stories tall.
> 
> Hang on a minute.....


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## cybertect (Mar 3, 2011)

A few pics taken this evening




More London Place by cybertect, on Flickr




More London Place by cybertect, on Flickr




London Bridge Spike by cybertect, on Flickr




Joiner Street Dusk by cybertect, on Flickr


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## cybertect (Mar 26, 2011)

Where we're at this week




The Shard: Queen Elizabeth Street View by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard: Bus Station VPan by cybertect, on Flickr


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## bromley (Mar 26, 2011)

It must be time soon for the central riser to grow again now that the concrete has moved on.


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## Crispy (Mar 27, 2011)

the central core is as high as it will ever get - that's the highest accessible floor. Everything above that will be steel frame only and for plat/decorative use


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## cybertect (Mar 27, 2011)

Well, they're still deciding what to do with the floors made vacant by the removal of the 'radiator' from the design. It's possible they may become accessible 


For kicks, here's a BIG image

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110323_0042-vpan.jpg


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## teuchter (Mar 27, 2011)

cybertect said:


> Where we're at this week
> The Shard: Bus Station VPan by cybertect, on Flickr


 
Oh, have they taken the roof off the bus station now? Will have to go and take a look.


----------



## bromley (Mar 28, 2011)

Crispy said:


> the central core is as high as it will ever get - that's the highest accessible floor. Everything above that will be steel frame only and for plat/decorative use


Oh right, so it's not tall then!


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## Crispy (Mar 28, 2011)

bromley said:


> Oh right, so it's not tall then!


 
It's currently about 240m high, but will be 310m high. Still quite a bit taller.


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## London_Calling (Mar 28, 2011)

Should be able to offer up some non-ground floor views of the Shard in a month or so - slightly diff perspective I hope.


----------



## editor (Apr 7, 2011)

Some more pics, taken on an annoyingly overcast day:












http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-shard-london-bridge-nears-completion/


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## Badgers (Apr 8, 2011)

SE1 view update from 07/04/2011


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## cybertect (Apr 9, 2011)

editor said:


> http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-shard-london-bridge-nears-completion/
> 
> When completed, the tower will contain 72 floors, plus 15 further radiator floors in the roof, and be clad entirely in glass.



I think it's been mentioned earlier in the thread, but the plan for the Radiator has been dropped, to be replaced with something TBC.


----------



## editor (Apr 9, 2011)

cybertect said:


> I think it's been mentioned earlier in the thread, but the plan for the Radiator has been dropped, to be replaced with something TBC.


Ruddy wikipedia!


----------



## Artaxerxes (Apr 9, 2011)

Still looks like a Dalek to me


----------



## cybertect (Apr 9, 2011)

yesterday




Foster + Piano by cybertect, on Flickr




London's Tallest: 924 years apart by cybertect, on Flickr




Canyon by cybertect, on Flickr


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## teuchter (Apr 10, 2011)

Last photo is a goodun cybertect.


----------



## editor (Apr 10, 2011)

teuchter said:


> Last photo is a goodun cybertect.


Yep - it's a great pic.


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## cybertect (Apr 10, 2011)

Ta. There was some wonderful light around on Friday evening.


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## hipipol (Apr 12, 2011)

you cant really appreciate the scale of the thing till you see it from a distance - from One Tree Hill at sunset last w/end it was a wall of flame towering over the rest of the City - will try to get some decent pics this sat/sun - my cameras shit and didnt justice so will try to get better shots before I put anything up here and cause general comtempt!!


----------



## teuchter (Apr 17, 2011)




----------



## editor (Apr 17, 2011)

Nice pics!


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## cybertect (Apr 17, 2011)

Aye 

A little construction milestone was passed on Friday. The first glazing went up on the concrete framed part of the building that will house the hotel and apartments, which has a smaller floor-to-floor height than the offices below.




The Shard: First glazing on the concrete frame by cybertect, on Flickr

and a couple of other views




The Shard: Southwark Street by cybertect, on Flickr




Southwark Bridge Panorama by cybertect, on Flickr 

[view large]


----------



## clicker (Apr 17, 2011)

hipipol said:


> you cant really appreciate the scale of the thing till you see it from a distance - from One Tree Hill at sunset last w/end it was a wall of flame towering over the rest of the City - will try to get some decent pics this sat/sun - my cameras shit and didnt justice so will try to get better shots before I put anything up here and cause general comtempt!!



Sounds lovely...it is definitely looking 'glassy' all of a sudden and dominating the surroundings...am looking forward to its completion....I like this building I think.


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## editor (Apr 17, 2011)

There must be a right racket going on if you live nearby, what with the hefty London Bridge rail redevelopment nearby also going on: http://www.urban75.org/blog/london-bridge-rail-redevelopment-charges-across-borough-market/


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 17, 2011)

cybertect said:


> The Shard: Southwark Street by cybertect


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Apr 18, 2011)

In tonight's Standard






The article is moaning about the shard fucking up the view of St. Paul's. No mention of Guy's


----------



## cybertect (Apr 18, 2011)

and it seems to be a rehash of an almost identical story they ran in January. Complete with the same quote from English Heritage about it being 'colossal'.

e2a: the view from Wapping this afternoon




The Shard from Hermitage Wharf by cybertect, on Flickr


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## teuchter (Apr 19, 2011)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


>


 
St Paul's is blocking the view of the Shard 

Tear it down!


----------



## teuchter (Apr 19, 2011)

cybertect said:


> A little construction milestone was passed on Friday. The first glazing went up on the concrete framed part of the building that will house the hotel and apartments, which has a smaller floor-to-floor height than the offices below.


 
Why's that bit concrete framed then?


----------



## Crispy (Apr 19, 2011)

teuchter said:


> Why's that bit concrete framed then?


 
Better sound insulation between floors, more freedom for running services to arbitrary hotel room layouts (ie. no beams to thread between or cut holes in). I was talking to one of the services engineers on the Shard recently and he says that it's an absolute nightmare to design for, as every floor and every room is different.


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 19, 2011)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


> In tonight's Standard
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Bit of  misleading picture as it will only be blocked from that angle no?


----------



## ExtraRefined (Apr 19, 2011)

As if there weren't enough fucking restrictions on building in London, especially to protect that silly church

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/sandiquiz/comment.html?entrynum=182


----------



## Crispy (Apr 19, 2011)

Here's those views on a map of London

http://test.citydesigner.com/uploads/project/38_Before_Pop-Up-Map-NEW.jpg


----------



## Jazzz (Apr 19, 2011)

Can't believe the fawning over our new obelisk. God, it's ugly.


----------



## ExtraRefined (Apr 19, 2011)

You're just sore there isn't an all seeing eye at the top


----------



## hipipol (Apr 19, 2011)

ExtraRefined said:


> You're just sore there isn't an all seeing eye at the top



Got a bit of space at the top now aint they??????

How convenient!!!!!!!!!

Its been planned this way from the start!!!!!

I await the giant eyeball on the end of the crane pic as its hoisted into place, with huge flocks of flying black demon lizards in attendance


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 19, 2011)

ExtraRefined said:


> You're just sore there isn't an all seeing eye at the top


----------



## bi0boy (Apr 22, 2011)

I took these pics when flying over it yesterday - the smog was very noticeable.


----------



## Crispy (Aug 19, 2011)

Major landmark in the construction process today - the last concrete floor has been poured (69th floor). The blue 'crown' of formwork will be taken down once it's set, and then the all-steel spire can start going in towards the end of September. That should be pretty rapid, as it's all pre-fabricated in sections. Should be topped out by Christmas, easy


----------



## krtek a houby (Aug 19, 2011)

bi0boy said:


> I took these pics when flying over it yesterday - the smog was very noticeable.



Nice. Are you a superhero?


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 19, 2011)

cybertect said:


> yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have decided that the view from tower bridge will inevitably lead to them being christened the Prick and Ball. The campaign starts here


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

Has anyone posted this article on the shard yet? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/19/shard-london-skyscraper?INTCMP=SRCH

I'm afraid I agree with him on a lot of it. The aesthetics of it I don't much care about, but I see the horrible (lack of) future it symbolises every time I look at it.



> Even today, plenty of people will defend this transparently misconceived and prodigiously cocksure colossus, in the misguided belief that it advances modern design. But it merely represents the most corporate and unenlightened traditions of high-level business architecture, superficially dressed in a symmetrical glass skin. Funded, since 2008, mainly by a consortium of Qatari investors, The Shard is not an avant-garde revelation of new possibilities for London. It is quite obviously and even gleefully the imposition of a style of architecture that is banal, moneyed, and grimly businesslike. It would fit into any financial district on earth. And anywhere on earth it would say the same thing, that finance is king.





> It has come to us from a dystopia where the rulers of the world pass their lives in glass towers way above the mean streets. Down there the excluded loot and burn, and the sky-dwellers profess to be shocked by their lack of morality.


----------



## Crispy (Aug 20, 2011)

Well, yeah. But _it looks cool_


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

I honestly don't think it does. It's just another glass box of a slightly different shape to me. As he says, bland business architecture. But big and pointy.

 And deeply depressing in terms of what now dominates London's skyline: big money that operates in its own world, nothing to do with the rest of us.


----------



## Crispy (Aug 20, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> And deeply depressing in terms of what now dominates London's skyline: big money that operates in its own world, nothing to do with the rest of us.



This I do agree with. Although it will be worth a trip to the top for the view...


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

The view is always good from the top, especially when shit is burning


----------



## Belushi (Aug 20, 2011)

When have big buildings not been about money and power?


----------



## Maggot (Aug 20, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> And deeply depressing in terms of what now dominates London's skyline: big money that operates in its own world, nothing to do with the rest of us.


Apart from the London Eye.

Did you prefer it when the skyline was dominated by concrete tower blocks?


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

Maggot said:


> Apart from the London Eye.
> 
> Did you prefer it when the skyline was dominated by concrete tower blocks?


At this point I'd prefer it if it was dominated by homes for people with low incomes to live in, yes. There was never any particular reason - aside from architectural fashion - for most of the older tower blocks to be as ugly as they were.


----------



## bi0boy (Aug 20, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> And deeply depressing in terms of what now dominates London's skyline: big money that operates in its own world, nothing to do with the rest of us.



What are we to have dominating the skyline if not corporate splurges. Hospitals spread over 113 floors? Towering primary schools and 89th floor community centres? Even if you can justify the practicalities, you'd have to justify the added expense in a largely flat city like London (might be easier in somewhere like Hong Kong).

What we can easily do is ensure that when corporations do spend money on tall buildings, that they look good.


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

bi0boy said:


> What are we to have dominating the skyline if not corporate splurges. Hospitals spread over 113 floors? Towering primary schools and 89th floor community centres? Even if you can justify the practicalities, you'd have to justify the added expense in a largely flat city like London (might be easier in somewhere like Hong Kong).
> 
> What we can easily do is ensure that when corporations do spend money on tall buildings, that they look good.


Cos when you're getting royally screwed by an international financial and business elite its important to have your skyline lookin' good


----------



## Belushi (Aug 20, 2011)

I was looking forward to the forthcoming da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, now I realise I'd only be endorsing the grasping tyranny of the Medici.


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

To be honest if I were in Florence at the time of the Medicis and poor as dirt and saw some display of opulence created by Da Vinci I'd have the strong impulse to destroy it. This would, in your book, make me a philistine, but there is more to life than aesthetics and its absurd to suddenly decide that one particular way of viewing the world should dominate your reaction to something. Quite possibly I would decided a Da Vinci painting was beautiful and decide to destroy it anyway to make a point. Would you be outraged? I hope so


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

Also, the comparison between the two doesn't quite work. The Shard, as well as being a symbol of wealth, is in itself a profit machine. That is its primary purpose. It is bordering on being its only purpose. It will extract money from London for the benefit of a few.


----------



## Belushi (Aug 20, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> To be honest if I were in Florence at the time of the Medicis and poor as dirt and saw some display of opulence created by Da Vinci I'd have the strong impulse to destroy it. *This would, in your book, make me a philistine,* but there is more to life than aesthetics and its absurd to suddenly decide that one particular way of viewing the world should dominate your reaction to something. Quite possibly I would decided a Da Vinci painting was beautiful and decide to destroy it anyway to make a point. Would you be outraged? I hope so



Please don't make things up.


----------



## Maggot (Aug 20, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> Also, the comparison between the two doesn't quite work. The Shard, as well as being a symbol of wealth, is in itself a profit machine. That is its primary purpose. It is bordering on being its only purpose. It will extract money from London for the benefit of a few.


How will it do that?


----------



## Crispy (Aug 20, 2011)

Maggot said:


> How will it do that?


80% of the project is owned by Qatari investors


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 20, 2011)

Crispy said:


> 80% of the project is owned by Qatari investors


Wouldn't make a blind bit of difference if it was owned by British investors though. It would still be a few people benefitting, they would still smuggle the money out the country so they didn't have to pay tax. They would still believe it was their money and they didn't owe any of it to all the people who live around them in the largest area of social housing in the UK - even though their particular profit machine will clearly increase demand for housing in the area, thus putting up social housing rents, which, along with the benefits cap will all help in the purging of poor people from Southwark.

Whether or not you find the building ugly, you surely can't help seeing the politics of it as ugly.


----------



## Maggot (Aug 21, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> Wouldn't make a blind bit of difference if it was owned by British investors though. It would still be a few people benefitting, they would still smuggle the money out the country so they didn't have to pay tax. They would still believe it was their money and they didn't owe any of it to all the people who live around them in the largest area of social housing in the UK - even though their particular profit machine will clearly increase demand for housing in the area, thus putting up social housing rents, which, along with the benefits cap will all help in the purging of poor people from Southwark.
> 
> Whether or not you find the building ugly, you surely can't help seeing the politics of it as ugly.


Who are these people smuggling money out of the country?


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 21, 2011)

Maggot said:


> Who are these people smuggling money out of the country?


All the people who have lots of it.  This book on it is meant to be quite readable - though I haven't read it myself http://www.amazon.co.uk/Treasure-Islands-Havens-Stole-World/dp/1847921108


----------



## Maggot (Aug 21, 2011)

Only 24 of the Shard's 87 floors are gonna be offices.


----------



## Brainaddict (Aug 21, 2011)

I'm not saying that the people working there will be screwing us - though I'm sure that is also true - I am saying the building itself, as any large-scale profit-making enterprise at the moment, is a mechanism for screwing us, and not something that will contribute to the economy you and I function in. The money will simply flow around the global economy, free as a vulture.

I just find it weird to watch people on this thread admire it when really it is a very big, very pointy cock destined for all our arses  And it's true there are any number of big pointy cocks fucking us at the moment, in the form of the corporate takeover of the state, and the freeing of money from all obligations to nations and citizens, but this one really makes no effort to disguise itself. Zero marks out of ten for stealth skills


----------



## TitanSound (Aug 22, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> I'm not saying that the people working there will be screwing us - though I'm sure that is also true - I am saying the building itself, as any large-scale profit-making enterprise at the moment, is a mechanism for screwing us, and not something that will contribute to the economy you and I function in. The money will simply flow around the global economy, free as a vulture.
> 
> I just find it weird to watch people on this thread admire it when really it is a very big, very pointy cock destined for all our arses  And it's true there are any number of big pointy cocks fucking us at the moment, in the form of the corporate takeover of the state, and the freeing of money from all obligations to nations and citizens, but this one really makes no effort to disguise itself. Zero marks out of ten for stealth skills



I'd rather be fucked by this than the Gherkin. Too much girth in the middle


----------



## bi0boy (Aug 22, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> I'm not saying that the people working there will be screwing us - though I'm sure that is also true - I am saying the building itself, as any large-scale profit-making enterprise at the moment, is a mechanism for screwing us, and not something that will contribute to the economy you and I function in. The money will simply flow around the global economy, free as a vulture.
> 
> I just find it weird to watch people on this thread admire it when really it is a very big, very pointy cock destined for all our arses  And it's true there are any number of big pointy cocks fucking us at the moment, in the form of the corporate takeover of the state, and the freeing of money from all obligations to nations and citizens, but this one really makes no effort to disguise itself. Zero marks out of ten for stealth skills



Most cocks are actually ugly dirty flaccid things like this, so in the grand scheme of things, the Shard is to be celebrated.


----------



## Andrew Hertford (Aug 22, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> I'm not saying that the people working there will be screwing us - though I'm sure that is also true - I am saying the building itself, as any large-scale profit-making enterprise at the moment, is a mechanism for screwing us, and not something that will contribute to the economy you and I function in. The money will simply flow around the global economy, free as a vulture.
> 
> I just find it weird to watch people on this thread admire it when really it is a very big, very pointy cock destined for all our arses  And it's true there are any number of big pointy cocks fucking us at the moment, in the form of the corporate takeover of the state, and the freeing of money from all obligations to nations and citizens, but this one really makes no effort to disguise itself. Zero marks out of ten for stealth skills



The _big pointy cock_ approach to asserting power through architecture has left us with some fantastic buildings over the years. Perhaps it's only after the men (it is only a man thing isn't it?) behind it have passed on that we can clearly judge a building without prejudice.

Although it's almost become heresy to say it, I'm still not convinced by the Shard as a piece of architecture. It's designed to be very loud and very noticeable, but unlike Centre Point, the Trellick Tower or even the Gherkin for example, it just doesn't seem to have much in the way of charisma. Big, pointy and so what.


----------



## Pickman's model (Aug 22, 2011)

Andrew Hertford said:


> The _big pointy cock_ approach to asserting power through architecture has left us with some fantastic buildings over the years. Perhaps it's only after the men (it is only a man thing isn't it?) behind it have passed on that we can clearly judge a building without prejudice.
> 
> Although it's almost become heresy to say it, I'm still not convinced by the Shard as a piece of architecture. It's designed to be very loud and very noticeable, but unlike Centre Point, the Trellick Tower or even the Gherkin for example, it just doesn't seem to have much in the way of charisma. Big, pointy and so what.


it's shit. what's wrong with the sort of architecture favoured for centuries in this country based on the writings of vitruvius?


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Aug 22, 2011)

I'm liking it less and less now.  Just out of all proportion for the area.  Up close it looks like a dull 70s office block.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 22, 2011)

Brainaddict said:


> Has anyone posted this article on the shard yet? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/19/shard-london-skyscraper?INTCMP=SRCH
> 
> I'm afraid I agree with him on a lot of it. The aesthetics of it I don't much care about, but I see the horrible (lack of) future it symbolises every time I look at it.



Seems like a bit of a confused article to me - it's making some reasonable (if rather obvious) political points about what the building type - ie the skyscraper - represents, but then somehow seems to try and make that into an architectural critique of the specific building itself. It doesn't say very much of any consequence about the quality of the architecture. It basically says that it's very big, compared to most of London which is quite low rise - thanks for pointing that out; I hadn't noticed that until now. He mentions some photograph that supposedly shows how it dwarfs St Paul's. I bet that's that photo that was in the Evening Standard a while ago, taken massively zoomed-in from a viewpoint in Hampstead or somewhere so that everything is foreshortened and bears little resemblance to actual views from the ground.

And when he says that it's clad in a symmetrical skin of glass - well it isn't, that's kind of the point, so he obviously hasn't been paying much attention.

So I give this article 3/10.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 22, 2011)

Pickman's model said:


> it's shit. what's wrong with the sort of architecture favoured for centuries in this country based on the writings of vitruvius?


That sounds like the kind of thing that someone who's heard of Vitrivius but hasn't thought very much about architecture would say in the pub to try and sound clever.


----------



## hipipol (Aug 23, 2011)

Brief note;

Lots of the Roman stuff survives cos its made of concrete

Hail Le Corbusier, True Roman!!!!


----------



## editor (Aug 23, 2011)

hipipol said:


> Brief note;
> 
> Lots of the Roman stuff survives cos its made of concrete
> 
> Hail Le Corbusier, True Roman!!!!


They will continue to outlast most modern concrete buildings too.


----------



## teuchter (Aug 23, 2011)

editor said:


> They will continue to outlast most modern concrete buildings too.



oh yeah?


----------



## editor (Aug 23, 2011)

teuchter said:


> oh yeah?


Indeed. Here's a rather interesting article on how Roman concrete was made and why it has survived so long: http://www.romanconcrete.com/questions.htm


----------



## editor (Aug 23, 2011)

As an aside, I can remember a TV programme about this - I'm guessing it was based on "Man After Man: An Anthropology of the Future" written by Scottish geologist Dougal Dixon - and it showed what would happen to the earth if man buggered off. Here's an extract:


> Amidst the spreading greenery, the surviving buildings are battered by weather and erosion. Without repainting and maintenance, bridge spans do not last more than fifty years. Our modern steel and concrete buildings, like city-centre office blocks, fare better: ivy dangles from the skyscrapers that still protrude, for a time, from the green layers of forest. In fact, the air and rain is clean of the acidic pollutants that damage our buildings in the present day. But they have lost their window glass, and are scorched by fire.
> 
> Wooden structures are the first to vanish completely, their fabric destroyed by the patient attention of insects.
> 
> ...


----------



## teuchter (Aug 24, 2011)

Ok, so the remaining Roman concrete-built buildings (self-selected for durability by being the ones that have survived) might outlast "most" of our concrete buildings (because the majority of all buildings fall down/get knocked down eventually) but it's a bit of a myth that the Romans made better concrete than we can.

Also, I'd like to see how long the Pantheon dome would survive in a climate like, say, the UK's, without any maintenance.


----------



## editor (Aug 24, 2011)

teuchter said:


> Ok, so the remaining Roman concrete-built buildings (self-selected for durability by being the ones that have survived) might outlast "most" of our concrete buildings (because the majority of all buildings fall down/get knocked down eventually) but it's a bit of a myth that the Romans made better concrete than we can.


I didn't actually say that the Romans made 'better' concrete (although the article authors assert that their methods of creating the stuff - using low water content and close compaction - means it may well be better than a lot of the stuff created now).



> A fundamental thesis in the Roman concrete book is that the Romans likely used a very low water content mortar, which is why it has lasted all these years. The problem for modern construction problems is that concrete of this low a water content is not an economical option. The Romans had thousands of slaves working on their job sites who could be forced to pound and manually manipulate stiff concrete into place
> http://www.romanconcrete.com/questions.htm


That said, the Romans didn't reinforce their concrete buildings with steel, so they aren't liable to suffer problems from subsequent corrosion if cracks appear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforced_concrete#Common_failure_modes_of_steel_reinforced_concrete


----------



## teuchter (Aug 24, 2011)

Modern concrete can contain additives that allow the water content to be reduced whilst maintaining workability, and also to guard against corrosion of the rebar. Lots of early reinforced concrete suffers problems with rebar corrosion but the technology has subsequently advanced to mean that it should not now be a major problem.


----------



## Dan U (Sep 13, 2011)

anyone noticed the subtle improvements to the London Bridge concourse.

the roof new roof keeps revelaing itself, its just one row of ticket barriers now on the 'Southern' side - which is a great improvement in the morning peaks. Plus you can start to work out how that whole side of the building is going to interact with The Shard. I quite like the improvements so far.

Assume its going to be quite a mission whenever they sort out the area where the current retail (BK etc) is though


----------



## teuchter (Sep 14, 2011)

From earlier this evening -

Shard + extra bonus for railway connoisseurs


----------



## editor (Sep 14, 2011)

Bit of an old loco on the right, no?


----------



## skyscraper101 (Sep 14, 2011)

Looks like one of them maintenance trains to me.


----------



## teuchter (Sep 14, 2011)

editor said:


> Bit of an old loco on the right, no?



One of the very oldest still in active service, in fact.


----------



## London_Calling (Sep 14, 2011)

When not struck by its comical proportionality, I'm finding its symbolism a little depressing now. It's obv. not how I want to feel about new buildings


----------



## TopCat (Sep 14, 2011)

I am liking the appearance of this building more and more.


----------



## teuchter (Sep 14, 2011)

The other day I came into St Pancras station in the evening. You can see the Shard in the distance as you approach. There was a dark storm cloud over south London but the Shard was reflecting an area of lighter sky so it looked almost white against the dark grey background. It looked very cool, but I would have needed a zoom lens to take a photo.


----------



## TitanSound (Sep 14, 2011)

We need cybertect to post up some new pics


----------



## TitanSound (Sep 14, 2011)

Actually, rememberd he posts on the SkyScraperCity forums. Check out this awesome snap of one of the cleaning units


----------



## Lord Camomile (Sep 14, 2011)

Looks like they're making the interior out of Lego


----------



## hipipol (Sep 14, 2011)

teuchter said:


> One of the very oldest still in active service, in fact.


Built by Brush at the Falcon Works, Loughborough
LOve the sound of their Sulzer engines while idling, got rythym guy!!

http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=205757&t=objects


----------



## teuchter (Sep 14, 2011)

hipipol said:


> LOve the sound of their Sulzer engines while idling, got rythym guy!!



Same here

/end derail


----------



## TitanSound (Sep 20, 2011)

Check out the awesome construction pics on the thread over at Skyscraper City.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=418897&page=420


----------



## teuchter (Sep 20, 2011)

TitanSound said:


> Check out the awesome construction pics on the thread over at Skyscraper City.
> 
> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=418897&page=420



This one makes me feel a little queasy


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## London_Calling (Sep 20, 2011)

whoa! *tingley feet*


----------



## cybertect (Sep 21, 2011)

TitanSound said:


> We need cybertect to post up some new pics



Oop. Sorry. I've been posting occasional pics in the Photography forum, but forgot about here too.

Here's a few recent favs...




The Shard from Sumner Street by cybertect, on Flickr




More London Place by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard: Backpack backlit by cybertect, on Flickr




There's a train to catch by cybertect, on Flickr




Shard Joiner 2 by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## cybertect (Sep 21, 2011)

teuchter said:


> This one makes me feel a little queasy



It ain't that bad


----------



## strung out (Nov 12, 2011)

fog today, taken by my mate


----------



## Maggot (Nov 12, 2011)

Wow.  Looks really foreboding!


----------



## teuchter (Nov 12, 2011)

Hm. A friend of mine posted a very similar photo on fb today.

I checked to make sure it wasn't the same one.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 12, 2011)

Oh, and it's now the tallest building in the EU.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Nov 17, 2011)

Practice run at putting the spire together






http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24010062-now-comes-the-shard-part.do


----------



## hipipol (Nov 18, 2011)

the bigger it gets the more loathesome it becomes. louring over our lives, incongruous and alien, I await the dangling arms and the death rays


----------



## bi0boy (Nov 18, 2011)

I wonder what the tallest skyscraper to be demolished was.


----------



## strung out (Nov 18, 2011)

world trade center

tallest officially demolished building might well be this one, which was 612ft tall

the singer building, new york


----------



## hipipol (Nov 18, 2011)

is that Singer as in the sewing machines?
Surely it was just unpicked? ;-)


----------



## teuchter (Nov 18, 2011)

bi0boy said:


> I wonder what the tallest skyscraper to be demolished was.


----------



## TitanSound (Nov 18, 2011)

hipipol said:


> the bigger it gets the more loathesome it becomes. louring over our lives, incongruous and alien, I await the dangling arms and the death rays



Welcome your lizard overlords.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Nov 18, 2011)

It's getting more impressive as the weeks go by, well from the view I get from the window it is


----------



## ska invita (Nov 18, 2011)

strung out said:


> fog today, taken by my mate



i wonder what jazzz makes of this?


----------



## Belushi (Nov 18, 2011)

bi0boy said:


> I wonder what the tallest skyscraper to be demolished was.



Not the tallest, but I'm always gutted Britain lost the Tait Tower in Glasgow.


----------



## London_Calling (Nov 18, 2011)

hipipol said:


> the bigger it gets the more loathesome it becomes. louring over our lives, incongruous and alien, I await the dangling arms and the death rays


I think I agree - well, with the first part at least. The scale seems absurd. Plus, I don't want the city skyline dominated by workplaces and corporate symbolism.


----------



## Crispy (Nov 18, 2011)

Belushi said:


> Not the tallest, but I'm always gutted Britain lost the Tait Tower in Glasgow.


Love this  Looks like it belongs in Moscow


----------



## TopCat (Nov 18, 2011)

hipipol said:


> the bigger it gets the more loathesome it becomes. louring over our lives, incongruous and alien, I await the dangling arms and the death rays


I like it. Am pleased it is in South London.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 30, 2011)

Belushi said:


> Not the tallest, but I'm always gutted Britain lost the Tait Tower in Glasgow.



Seen pictures of that before and it's fab. I think I have some postcards from the 1938 Empire Exhibition somewhere.

The Atlantic Restaurant was pretty cool too, in a 30s kitsch moderne manner


----------



## Maurice Picarda (Nov 30, 2011)

TopCat said:


> I like it. Am pleased it is in South London.



I am also pleased that it is in South London.


----------



## cybertect (Nov 30, 2011)

A few recent photos




London at Night: Shard, Thames, City, Wapping by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard &amp; Butlers Wharf from Rotherhithe by cybertect, on Flickr





The Shard from Leathermarket Gardens by cybertect, on Flickr





London Bridge: New station concourse entrance by cybertect, on Flickr




Millennium Dusk by cybertect, on Flickr





The Shard &amp; The Place: evening sunlight by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## editor (Nov 30, 2011)

Belushi said:


> Not the tallest, but I'm always gutted Britain lost the Tait Tower in Glasgow.



Now that's worth a thread of its own!

*heads off to Scotland forum


----------



## teuchter (Nov 30, 2011)

Not quite complete on the top.


----------



## temper_tantrum (Jan 6, 2012)

Are they taking the glass panels back off the Shard again? We can see it from our office window, and my colleague is convinced that they've removed quite a bit of the external glass in the last month or so.


----------



## krtek a houby (Jan 6, 2012)

temper_tantrum said:


> Are they taking the glass panels back off the Shard again? We can see it from our office window, and my colleague is convinced that they've removed quite a bit of the external glass in the last month or so.



Didn't they have to do that with the gherkin, as well? Something about the windows buckling, not being able to withstand the intial pressure?


----------



## TitanSound (Jan 6, 2012)

krtek a houby said:


> Didn't they have to do that with the gherkin, as well? Something about the windows buckling, not being able to withstand the intial pressure?



I think that was more to do with the design of those particular windows.


----------



## quimcunx (Jan 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> A few recent photos
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'd buy those postcards.


----------



## quimcunx (Jan 6, 2012)

Belushi said:


> Not the tallest, but I'm always gutted Britain lost the Tait Tower in Glasgow.



It's great.  I want it back.  Never heard of it before this thread.


----------



## teuchter (Jan 6, 2012)

temper_tantrum said:


> Are they taking the glass panels back off the Shard again? We can see it from our office window, and my colleague is convinced that they've removed quite a bit of the external glass in the last month or so.



They are replacing them with mind-wave transmitters and soon they will control all of London from their obelisk.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jan 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> They are replacing them with mind-wave transmitters and soon they will control all of London from their obelisk.


Must be a right pane.


----------



## London_Calling (Jan 6, 2012)

If it's still standing after yesterday I'm mildly relieved.


----------



## janeb (Jan 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Seen pictures of that before and it's fab. I think I have some postcards from the 1938 Empire Exhibition somewhere.
> 
> The Atlantic Restaurant was pretty cool too, in a 30s kitsch moderne manner



I've got a couple of postcards of that and a little model made out of bakelite


----------



## mao (Jan 24, 2012)

360 view from Shard


----------



## hipipol (Jan 24, 2012)

Twas shrouded in fog today...........


----------



## teuchter (Jan 24, 2012)

mao said:


> 360 view from Shard



very cool


----------



## TitanSound (Jan 25, 2012)

Not long until it's finished eh? The spire's going up nicely and once the glazing is done, will look awesome 

Stolen from SkyScraperCity forums


----------



## temper_tantrum (Jan 27, 2012)

It's definitely losing glass panels from the top, it looks more and more obvious. Anyone know what's going on?


----------



## TitanSound (Jan 27, 2012)

They've decided they don't like it and are going to start all over again


----------



## London_Calling (Jan 27, 2012)

Maybe it was just shielding while work went on internally...


----------



## quimcunx (Jan 27, 2012)

Maybe the doors are too small so they're having to remove windows to get the furniture in.


----------



## teuchter (Jan 27, 2012)

temper_tantrum said:


> It's definitely losing glass panels from the top, it looks more and more obvious. Anyone know what's going on?


Are you sure you aren't mixing up glass moving further down from top, with top moving further up from glass?


----------



## bi0boy (Jan 27, 2012)

They are going to increase the size of the all-seeing eye that will be fixed to the upper part of the structure, so need remove some of the plasma shielding.


----------



## what (Jan 31, 2012)

Do they ever turn the lights off on this thing?


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 31, 2012)

it's the tallest building in europe now isn't it? why then, doesn't it look so massive? is it the shape of it? every time i pass i think how small it looks and how it can't possibly be that tall. the heron tower is shorter yet for some reason looks much bigger.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Jan 31, 2012)

I think in recent days it has suddenly started to look really tall.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 31, 2012)

doesn't look any different to me


----------



## Pickman's model (Jan 31, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> it's the tallest building in europe now isn't it? why then, doesn't it look so massive? is it the shape of it? every time i pass i think how small it looks and how it can't possibly be that tall. the heron tower is shorter yet for some reason looks much bigger.


try looking at it from a distance


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## TitanSound (Feb 10, 2012)

Stolen from SkyScraperCity

Bladerunner anyone?


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 10, 2012)

You'd imagine that's what they were aiming for.


----------



## hipipol (Feb 10, 2012)

I look at it though binoculars fairly regularly and the singular absence of people working on theat exposed metal frame at the top that has been the most noticable thing for the last two weeks. The crane is certainly in the same position it was 3 days ago.
I reckon they is wating for some good waether to erect ye final spiney bit


----------



## Crispy (Feb 10, 2012)

hipipol said:


> I look at it though binoculars fairly regularly and the singular absence of people working on theat exposed metal frame at the top that has been the most noticable thing for the last two weeks. The crane is certainly in the same position it was 3 days ago.
> I reckon they is wating for some good waether to erect ye final spiney bit


All the exterior glazing up to that point has to go on first.


----------



## TitanSound (Feb 10, 2012)

I think it's topped out. The glass will create the "spire".


----------



## Crispy (Feb 10, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> I think it's topped out. The glass will create the "spire".


The 'spire' part will still have a metal frame, just not the heavy-duty bit.
Here's the spire pre-constructed before the parts were taken to site:






At the moment, the bottom three levels of this structure are in place.


----------



## London_Calling (Feb 10, 2012)

Can you imagine the wind chill up there atm...


----------



## Crispy (Feb 10, 2012)

London_Calling said:


> Can you imagine the wind chill up there atm...


I'd rather not


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 10, 2012)

It looked really cool a few days ago as the top part of it looked like it was shrouded in fog.


----------



## Maggot (Feb 10, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It looked really cool a few days ago as the top part of it looked like it was shrouded in fog.


See the pic in post 753.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 10, 2012)

Maggot said:


> See the pic in post 753.


 
ah yes, but that is 2011 November fog taken from close up.  This was 2012 fog from a distance 

Actually, it wasn't fog, I think it was just the way the weather was coming in


----------



## hipipol (Feb 14, 2012)

big new chunk of glass had appeared by yesterday morning on the north facing side of the frame - but well above the existing glass cladding


----------



## TitanSound (Feb 14, 2012)

hipipol said:


> big new chunk of glass had appeared by yesterday morning on the north facing side of the frame - but well above the existing glass cladding


 
Like this?


----------



## Crispy (Feb 14, 2012)

Woo! It's taller


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Feb 14, 2012)

It's reminding me more and more of that hotel in Pyongyang.


----------



## Dan U (Feb 14, 2012)

Ldn Bridge station concourse opening up nicely now, the windows are uncovered at the top of the escalators to the tube. 

Bit surprised they've shrunk the indoor area though, gonna get rammed whenever there are any network delays


----------



## Crispy (Feb 14, 2012)

Dan U said:


> Ldn Bridge station concourse opening up nicely now, the windows are uncovered at the top of the escalators to the tube.
> 
> Bit surprised they've shrunk the indoor area though, gonna get rammed whenever there are any network delays


 
The outdoor space will have a big roof on it though, and be much more pleasant. It's only temporary anyway - the whole station's getting a makeover, with a new concourse _beneath _the tracks.


----------



## story (Feb 14, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Like this?


 

Is that a single sheet of glass??


----------



## Dan U (Feb 14, 2012)

Crispy said:


> The outdoor space will have a big roof on it though, and be much more pleasant. It's only temporary anyway - the whole station's getting a makeover, with a new concourse _beneath _the tracks.


 
oh yeah i forgot about that last bit!


----------



## teuchter (Feb 14, 2012)

story said:


> Is that a single sheet of glass??


No.


----------



## story (Feb 14, 2012)

teuchter said:


> No.


 

I'm relieved.


----------



## Belushi (Feb 14, 2012)

It looked fantastic lit up tonight from Waterloo Bridge.


----------



## TitanSound (Feb 21, 2012)




----------



## teuchter (Feb 21, 2012)

They've switched the brain-wave laser transmitters on already?


----------



## ska invita (Feb 21, 2012)

Dont let JAzzz see that picture


----------



## TitanSound (Feb 21, 2012)

Too late, he's at the base of the tower with a hammer and chisel trying to bring it down


----------



## Balbi (Feb 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Too late, he's at the base of the tower with a hammer and chisel trying to bring it down


 
I read that as 'a hammer and child' and wondered how far Jazzz would go to bring 'them' down.


----------



## lopsidedbunny (Feb 24, 2012)

Why aren't pigeons nesting in it? Is a big puzzle for me...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 24, 2012)

lopsidedbunny said:


> Why aren't pigeons nesting in it? Is a big puzzle for me...


 
They've probably all flown into the glass and splattered before they got the chance


----------



## hipipol (Mar 12, 2012)

Two new metal lattices have appeared over the last week - actually saw the crane move something into place on Friday!!!!!
Spikey top bit soon eh?


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 12, 2012)

hipipol said:


> Two new metal lattices have appeared over the last week - actually saw the crane move something into place on Friday!!!!!
> Spikey top bit soon eh?


 
Very soon 

I was walking back to the station from our rehearsal studio on Saturday and they had the clever window cleaning cranes out with little people in them, cleaning the windows. I imagine it will look amazing when all the glass is in place and it's had a good scrub with Windolene


----------



## hipipol (Mar 12, 2012)

There was a geezer dangling betwixt the crane and the open un-glazed floor today _ I am SOOOOOOO obsessed I take binocs to work - and he slipped a couple of times - suspect there must be a secret giant nappy provider contracted to the site!!!!!!


----------



## cybertect (Mar 13, 2012)

Like these guys?




Glazing The Shard by cybertect, on Flickr


There was a very cool effect yesterday with sunlight reflected off The Shard through the last dregs of morning mist/haze.

Untouched by Photoshop 




Ray of Light 1 by cybertect, on Flickr




Ray of Light 2 by cybertect, on Flickr




Ray of Light 3 by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Crispy (Mar 13, 2012)

Stunning photos 

The 'big gap' should be closed off soon, and it'll look much better when the shards start reading as proper continuous planes. With pointy bits


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 13, 2012)

I noticed it from Brixton Hill yesterday and noticed it was now half obscuring the gherkin which is a bit of a shame

Nice pics cybertect


----------



## cybertect (Mar 16, 2012)

More sunbeams yesterday. This from the southern end of Borough High Street




Raydiator by cybertect, on Flickr

A snap from London Bridge Station yesterday evening




The Shard: East side at dusk by cybertect, on Flickr

And a large section of steel frame was craned into place atop the west side this evening




New steel for The Shard by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## bi0boy (Mar 16, 2012)

taking their time now aren't they.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 16, 2012)

The glazing's been zipping up over the last week or two. The gaps on the East, North and now West sides have been closed up in the last day or so.

You have to remember there's only one tower crane on site now, with a small spider crane planted right at the top to help out with the glazing, but the materials all have to be moved up there in the first place.

When the lower levels were being done, there were five tower cranes on site. That limits how speedy things can go to some extent.


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 20, 2012)

Squeaky bum time people 






(Nicked from SkyScraperCity)


----------



## Crispy (Mar 20, 2012)

It's really starting to come together at the top now 
Should have all the externals completed and the tower crane removed by summer


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 20, 2012)

Nice one from Cybertect. I'm going to tell him he's a naughty boy for not posting updates here


----------



## laptop (Mar 20, 2012)

Don't have the lens to capture it - but seen from afar (a roof in King's Cross) there's a really cool effect when at night they park the light on the crane jib roughly where the apex will be...

I forget - will it go all the way to a sharp point?


----------



## mao (Mar 20, 2012)

laptop said:


> Don't have the lens to capture it - but seen from afar (a roof in King's Cross) there's a really cool effect when at night they park the light on the crane jib roughly where the apex will be...
> 
> I forget - will it go all the way to a sharp point?


 
This is how it's going to look like:


----------



## Crispy (Mar 20, 2012)

laptop said:


> Don't have the lens to capture it - but seen from afar (a roof in King's Cross) there's a really cool effect when at night they park the light on the crane jib roughly where the apex will be...
> 
> I forget - will it go all the way to a sharp point?


No, it will be a 'crown' of four points.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Nice one from Cybertect. I'm going to tell him he's a naughty boy for not posting updates here


 
OK, I get the hint 

Here's a few from the last couple of days




The Shard: West side spire steel complete by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard and the GLA Building by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard from Borough Market by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Maurice Picarda (Mar 20, 2012)

It really is very pretty.


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

I notice the building being built next to is is in the 'London Bridge Quarter'.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

cybertect said:


> OK, I get the hint
> 
> Here's a few from the last couple of days


 
Fantastic pictures as ever, cyber


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> I notice the building being built next to is is in the 'London Bridge Quarter'.


 
Have you seen how it now obscures half the Gherkin from Brixton Hill.

It's a shame really as I liked that view


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> I notice the building being built next to is is in the 'London Bridge Quarter'.


 
The building next to it is called 'The Place', also designed by Renzo Piano.

_London Bridge Quarter_ is the the tag for the whole development: The Shard, The Place and the revamped London Bridge Station.

http://www.londonbridgequarter.com/


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

I have decided, arbitrarily, to take against that affectation.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

Quarter?

All sounds very American to me


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Fantastic pictures as ever, cyber


 
Ta.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> I have decided, arbitrarily, to take against that affectation.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Ta.


 
I'm sure I've asked you this before but I've got a crap memory, but do you put them up on SkyscraperCity?

Mind you, that website does my head in.  Too many pictures and avatars and smileys and slow loading


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Quarter?
> 
> All sounds very American to me


 
I'd always got the impression it was sort of borrowed from the French _quartier_.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I'm sure I've asked you this before but I've got a crap memory, but do you put them up on SkyscraperCity?
> 
> Mind you, that website does my head in. Too many pictures and avatars and smileys and slow loading


 
I do. TS borrows them for there when I'm crap and forget to post on this thread.

Browsing SSC with the iPad app gets rid of all the clutter


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I'd always got the impression it was sort of borrowed from the French _quartier_.


 
You are quite right.  Not sure where I got that from.  Anyway, why are we copying the French? 

Bet we'll copy the Americans next and be calling places downtown 

Right, ignore my moaning.  Can we have some more night-time shots please cyber?


----------



## cybertect (Mar 20, 2012)

Well, I have this from a couple of weeks ago




The Shard & More London from Tower Bridge by cybertect, on Flickr

and as we're talking about The Place...




The Place by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

What is 'the Place' to be?   For that matter are there tenants lined up for the shard?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Well, I have this from a couple of weeks ago
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
All those lights are dazzling  

Why are most of the lights on anyway this time of night?  Are people working through the night?


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

I'm not convinced it was taken in the last 5 minutes, minnie.


----------



## Crispy (Mar 20, 2012)

That photo is a week or two old, when it was still dark during office hours.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> I'm not convinced it was taken in the last 5 minutes, minnie.





Crispy said:


> That photo is a week or two old, when it was still dark during office hours.


 
I know that  

I'm talking about now, at nearly midnight


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I know that
> 
> I'm talking about now, at nearly midnight


 
   Are you looking at them right now?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 20, 2012)

Close to the equinoxes, the speed of light is greatly decreased. The lights you can see were actually turned off hours ago, but it's not visible to you yet.


----------



## laptop (Mar 20, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Close to the equinoxes, the speed of light is greatly decreased. The lights you can see were actually turned off hours ago, but it's not visible to you yet.


 
But then surely they'd be red-shifted


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> Are you looking at them right now?


 
yes


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Close to the equinoxes, the speed of light is greatly decreased. The lights you can see were actually turned off hours ago, but it's not visible to you yet.


 
Ooh, that reminds me.  You know those sunstorms from a week or two back.  When did they happen?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 20, 2012)

laptop said:


> But then surely they'd be red-shifted


They're not moving away are they? Silly


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 21, 2012)

Crispy said:


> They're not moving away are they? Silly


 
Maybe they are.


----------



## Pickman's model (Mar 21, 2012)

mao said:


> This is how it's going to look like:


yeh because if they ever finished it the world would come to an end


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

Barring the appalling shit photo, you can clearly see loads of lights on past midnight


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 21, 2012)

don't put yourself down, minnie. That's the equal of any shot posted by cybertect.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> don't put yourself down, minnie. That's the equal of any shot posted by cybertect.


 
You're right you know. I mean, you look at his shots and see how close he is compared to me, it's obvious mine are going to look ever so slightly fuzzy



probably helps that he knows how to use a camera as well and has one of those fancy ones with bells and whistles

eta:  Mine has been photoshopped to make it look arty


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)

I can see it from the top of my skyscraper and can corroborate Minnie's evidence. Lights still on at 0135.


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

cybertect said:


> OK, I get the hint


 
You know it makes sense Rodney


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

FWIW, standing at the Elephant waiting for my bus, I can see the North side steel frame has been completed. Just the South side to go now.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

cybertect said:


> FWIW, standing at the Elephant waiting for my bus, I can see the North side steel frame has been completed. Just the South side to go now.


 
I'm a bit disappointed with your lack of praise for my night-time picture cyber.  Took hours of photoshopping to get it to look like that


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

I reckon they have a skeleton crew working through the night 7 days a week. My rehearsal studio is just off Bermondsey Street. I was doing a 7pm to 11pm session on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. I went into the MaccyD's afterwards as I had a craving for some nuggets and a milkshake. There were some lift engineers all having a coffee and a snack and some other workers too.


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)

cybertect said:


> FWIW, standing at the Elephant waiting for my bus, I can see the North side steel frame has been completed. Just the South side to go now.


Yet another example of discrimination against south London.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> I reckon they have a skeleton crew working through the night 7 days a week. My rehearsal studio is just off Bermondsey Street. I was doing a 7pm to 11pm session on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. I went into the MaccyD's afterwards as I had a craving for some nuggets and a milkshake. There were some lift engineers all having a coffee and a snack and some other workers too.


 
This skeleton crew needs to be taught to turn light switches off then


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Yet another example of discrimination against south London.


 
btw teuchter, that's a fantastic picture.


----------



## Crispy (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> I reckon they have a skeleton crew working through the night 7 days a week.


Skeletons don't work in daylight anyway.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I'm a bit disappointed with your lack of praise for my night-time picture cyber.  Took hours of photoshopping to get it to look like that




You got a 'like' now


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

cybertect said:


> You gat a 'like' now


 
Better late than never 

What about teuchter's?  His is almost as good as yours


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

Hold your horses. I was doing it outside on my iPad while having a cigarette...


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> btw teuchter, that's a fantastic picture.


 

Thanks.

I'm sure you'll agree it is even better than yours.


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

So, are we going to have an Urban outing to the viewing space when it opens?

I know a great place round the corner so we can get shitfaced after


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm sure you'll agree it is even better than yours.  I promise I'll get a picture of more of the building itself tonight


 
I don't think so. Mine's better than cyber's, and your picture just has the edge over cyber's but isn't as good as mine. Maybe if you get more of the building itself, it might be better


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm sure you'll agree it is even better than yours.


 
You need to make sure the Shard's people don't nick your photo for their brochures and stuff.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> So, are we going to have an Urban outing to the viewing space when it opens?
> 
> I know a great place round the corner so we can get shitfaced after


 
Is it a pub?


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


> Is it a pub?


 
No, a fetish club.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> No, a fetish club.


 


Sadly I'm busy that day,  but I'll nominate Minnie to represent me.


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

Are you sure? I've heard sweetcorn is great for the pores.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Are you sure? I've heard sweetcorn is great for the pores.


 
I'm sure Minnie will find a way to thank me for enhancing the glorious sheen of her skin then.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

Here's a daytime photo.  It's very hazy out there.  I know cyber will be so impressed, he's going to go and take more just to try to outdo my photos


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


> I'm sure Minnie will find a way to thank me for enhancing the glorious sheen of her skin then.


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Here's a daytime photo. It's very hazy out there. I know cyber will be so impressed, he's going to go and take more just to try to outdo my photos


 
The haziness makes it look like it was taken in the 60's!

Minnie, do you know someone who looks like this?


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Here's a daytime photo. It's very hazy out there. I know cyber will be so impressed, he's going to go and take more just to try to outdo my photos
> 
> View attachment 17593


 
Nice pic, was it taken in 1913 and the colour added later?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> The haziness makes it look like it was taken in the 60's!


 
Then stop taking drugs.  They're not good for your eyesight


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


> Nice pic, was it taken in 1913 and the colour added later?


 
Yes, I have wonderful photoshop skills don't you know


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Then stop taking drugs. They're not good for your eyesight


 
But they open my minds eye maaaaaaaaan.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Here's a daytime photo. It's very hazy out there. I know cyber will be so impressed, he's going to go and take more just to try to outdo my photos


 
I am (that is quite a cool skyline shot) and of course I am 

though I have the advantage* of being a bit closer, of course... Location, location, location!


* e2a: but not for taking cool skyline shots


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

Nice.  Are they today?

Of course, if I knew how to actually work a camera, I might get a decent shot occasionally, but... 

I can see Canary Wharf to Battersea from this flat


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Nice. Are they today?


 
Yep. Taken about an hour ago now.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

You seem to have a very blue sky in the first shot


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I can see Canary Wharf to Battersea from this flat


 
Telescope owners from Canary Wharf to Battersea spy on Minnie


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Here's a daytime photo. It's very hazy out there. I know cyber will be so impressed, he's going to go and take more just to try to outdo my photos
> 
> View attachment 17593


 
That's a great pic.  Like a mirage. 


Happy accident, obvs.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 21, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> You seem to have a very blue sky in the first shot


 
It was/is.

Looking west. The others are more southward and the sky's a bit more bleached of colour by the sun.


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)

.


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)




----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)




----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

They're not night-time shots


----------



## teuchter (Mar 21, 2012)

sorry, hadn't realised I'd posted them on the "night time shots of the Shard" thread.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 21, 2012)

You promised you'd get a picture of more of the building tonight


----------



## teuchter (Mar 22, 2012)

I did, did I.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 22, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I did, did I.


 
yep.  See post 888


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 22, 2012)

888, the number of the teletext.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 22, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> 888, the number of the teletext.


 
Just think, no Ceefax soon


----------



## teuchter (Mar 22, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> yep. See post 888


 
Goodness me, I really am getting absent-minded. It had entirely slipped my mind. I wil see what I can do tonight.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 22, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Goodness me, I really am getting absent-minded. It had entirely slipped my mind. I wil see what I can do tonight.


 
Good

I would take another daytime picture today except it's so hazy over London, you can barely see the Shard.  Sodding pollution getting in the way of my views


----------



## teuchter (Mar 22, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Good


 
Here you go


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 22, 2012)

That's beautiful teuchter


----------



## teuchter (Mar 22, 2012)

I knew you'd like it


----------



## cybertect (Mar 22, 2012)

Sorry, Minnie, they're not night time shots. I took them this morning.

















Pollution haze does have its benefits


----------



## Crispy (Mar 22, 2012)

Oh, those step-backs in the gap behind the southern shard (the short one). do not like


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 22, 2012)

> Pollution haze does have its benefits


 
Yes, it seems to be giving that particular area of London blue skies


----------



## bromley (Mar 23, 2012)

Must be close to his maximum height?


----------



## teuchter (Mar 23, 2012)

Who?


----------



## mincepie (Mar 23, 2012)

Good pics in tonight's paper:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...-bolt-together-spire-at-985-feet-7583316.html


----------



## bi0boy (Mar 23, 2012)

I think it's going to look perpetually unfinished at the top.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 23, 2012)

mincepie said:


> Good pics in tonight's paper:
> 
> http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/...-bolt-together-spire-at-985-feet-7583316.html


 
Fuck me, Cyber's pictures are better than that, and that's saying something, considering how good mine and teuchter's are!

Only joking, but seriously, Cyber's are better


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 23, 2012)

> The scene recalls the 1932 photograph by Charles C Ebbets, which shows workmen eating lunch on the 69th floor of the GE Building during construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York.


 
er, no it doesn't, at all


----------



## cybertect (Mar 24, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Fuck me, Cyber's pictures are better than that, and that's saying something, considering how good mine and teuchter's are!
> 
> Only joking, but seriously, Cyber's are better



Thanks Minne. The Standard wanted to use one of my pics of The Shard a few weeks ago, but had 'no budget' for photography...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 24, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Thanks Minne. The Standard wanted to use one of my pics of The Shard a few weeks ago, but had 'no budget' for photography...


 
Ah, you mean the bastards wanted it for free eh and you told 'em to shovel it?


----------



## cybertect (Mar 24, 2012)

Your words speak eloquently


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 24, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Your words speak eloquently


 
I like to fink I was bought up proper like


----------



## laptop (Mar 24, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Thanks Minne. The Standard wanted to use one of my pics of The Shard a few weeks ago, but had 'no budget' for photography...


 
Bollocks they didn't. They were just schnorring. They can and do pay £200 for a single photo (quarter-page-ish).


----------



## teuchter (Mar 24, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Thanks Minne. The Standard wanted to use one of my pics of The Shard a few weeks ago, but had 'no budget' for photography...


 
Did you tell them that unfortunately you did not offer any services targetted at that price point?


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 24, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> I think it's going to look perpetually unfinished at the top.


 
I was just going to say that every time I go past I think it looks like they've got a bit stuck with the top so are just getting on with other things in the hope the problem goes away.


----------



## T & P (Mar 25, 2012)

In a weird way it doesn't look *that* tall from a distance. Not in the same way as the ICC in Hong Kong, or the Empire State Building in NY dominate their environments. That's probably not a bad thing I guess...


----------



## Marc Fairhurst (Mar 26, 2012)




----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 26, 2012)

^^ that's a very nice photo


----------



## spliff (Mar 26, 2012)

Fuck. It makes me feel a bit ill. 

Nice headgear. Where did those lunch-boxes end up I wonder?


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 26, 2012)

spliff said:


> Fuck. It makes me feel a bit ill.
> 
> Nice headgear. Where did those lunch-boxes end up I wonder?


 

As someone at street levels headgear.

*thump*


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 26, 2012)

cybertect said:


> The building next to it is called 'The Place', also designed by Renzo Piano.
> 
> _London Bridge Quarter_ is the the tag for the whole development: The Shard, The Place and the revamped London Bridge Station.
> 
> http://www.londonbridgequarter.com/


 
There is an advert at Old St.  with I <3 Dalston on it for Queensbridgequarter.com!  Where will it all end?!?!?!?!?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 26, 2012)

spliff said:


> Fuck. It makes me feel a bit ill.
> 
> Nice headgear. Where did those lunch-boxes end up I wonder?


 
Why are you posting pictures of America up?


----------



## spliff (Mar 26, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Why are you posting pictures of America up?


It was a reference to your earlier post to point out how right you were. 


Minnie_the_Minx said:


> > The scene recalls the 1932 photograph by Charles C Ebbets, which shows workmen eating lunch on the 69th floor of the GE Building during construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York.
> 
> 
> er, no it doesn't, at all


 
That picture by Marc Fairhurst #941 is fabby.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 26, 2012)

spliff said:


> It was a reference to your earlier post to point out how right you were.


 
Oh  

Fucking ridiculous comparing the two innit?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 26, 2012)

The shard is topped out! Chest over at skyscrapercity got this fantastic sequence of photos of the event




			
				chest said:
			
		

> the construction chest
> 
> 
> .


----------



## teuchter (Mar 26, 2012)

Looks like the "shard" behind that one is going to be higher though


----------



## Crispy (Mar 26, 2012)

yes I think you're right


----------



## cybertect (Mar 26, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Yet another example of discrimination against south London.


 



teuchter said:


> Looks like the "shard" behind that one is going to be higher though


 


South side FTW


----------



## mao (Mar 26, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Looks like the "shard" behind that one is going to be higher though


----------



## Who Nose (Mar 26, 2012)

T & P said:


> In a weird way it doesn't look *that* tall from a distance. Not in the same way as the ICC in Hong Kong, or the Empire State Building in NY dominate their environments. That's probably not a bad thing I guess...


Funny enough, I had breakfast at Paramount at Centrepoint this morning and looking across at it my first thought was 'I thought it would be bigger'


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 26, 2012)

It's a thought I've had often over the years. 

*checks what forum we're in*


----------



## teuchter (Mar 26, 2012)

I really hope the engineers have done their wind load calculations properly on those top pointy bits of glass.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 26, 2012)

Crispy said:


> The shard is topped out! Chest over at skyscrapercity got this fantastic sequence of photos of the event


 
Nice pics


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 26, 2012)

I'd have a look at it through m binoculars to see the top but yet again, it's very hazy out there


----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 26, 2012)

By 'eck that look precarious. Rather them than me.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 26, 2012)

So... who wants to place a bet on how long it'll be before that mad frenchman starts to climb it?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 26, 2012)

skyscraper101 said:


> So... who wants to place a bet on how long it'll be before that mad frenchman starts to climb it?


 
When's all the internal stuff going to be completed?

He was in The Mirror today


----------



## Crispy (Mar 26, 2012)

It'll be open to the public in March 2013

That french guy will whizz up it, there's a 'ladder' up the edge of each shard.


----------



## Orang Utan (Mar 26, 2012)

IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER YEAR TIL IT'S FINISHED? WTF?


----------



## Orang Utan (Mar 26, 2012)




----------



## Lord Camomile (Mar 26, 2012)

I thought that exact same thing this morning. Surely that's been a meme for a while? Can't imagine it's taken everyone else as long as me to notice it?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 26, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER YEAR TIL IT'S FINISHED? WTF?


Externally, it'll be complete by summer. Internal fitout and services installation is always  much more time-consuming and labour-intensive.


----------



## cybertect (Mar 26, 2012)

Lord Camomile said:


> I thought that exact same thing this morning. Surely that's been a meme for a while? Can't imagine it's taken everyone else as long as me to notice it?


 
The idea has been mentioned before, on this very thread even (though also elsewhere)

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/the-shard-starts.167117/page-9#post-5620866

Might also be worth mentioning that Peter Jackson's first LoTR film was released in 2001, a year after the first drawings for The Shard were made. Skyscrapers can take a _long_ time to get built.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Mar 26, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


>


 
Is that supposed to be a goatse?


----------



## Orang Utan (Mar 27, 2012)

No. It's Sauron.


----------



## T & P (Mar 27, 2012)

However a giant goatse crowning The Shard would be a welcome addition to the city's skyline. They could even make it rotate & point to certain areas according to the events of the day (Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, etc).


----------



## cybertect (Mar 27, 2012)

I still like teuchter's mirror ball with lasers idea on this thread.

I tried to persuade the project architect at RPBW to take it up, but he wasn't sure Sellar would go for it.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 27, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I still like teuchter's mirror ball with lasers idea on this thread.
> 
> I tried to persuade the project architect at RPBW to take it up, but he wasn't sure Sellar would go for it.


 
Which way would the lasers be pointing?


----------



## teuchter (Mar 28, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Which way would the lasers be pointing?


 
At the mirror ball of course


----------



## 19sixtysix (Mar 28, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> IT'S GONNA BE ANOTHER YEAR TIL IT'S FINISHED? WTF?


 
One word that explains this is lifts.

Everything in the building has go up in the lifts. I can imagine it will take hours for each workman to get their stuff up in a lift and require the lift to be booked.


----------



## T & P (Mar 28, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Which way would the lasers be pointing?


----------



## cybertect (Mar 30, 2012)

Photys from the last couple of days...

The North side is very mucky still






but they've cleaned a lot of the West side






the canopies are cool






the boom arm for the Building Maintenance Unit (for cleaning, etc.) at the top of The Shard was lifted this lunch time







and I snapped this on my way to catch my train at London Bridge this evening 




The Shard: Plane lucky by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Zonc808 (Mar 30, 2012)

Oooh saw this photo on londonist earlier today. Absolutely stunning, cybertect


----------



## cybertect (Mar 30, 2012)

Did this David Hockney-style 'joiner' last night too. Assembled from 35 individual frames.




The Shard & The Place joiner, March 2012 by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## TitanSound (Mar 30, 2012)

I was in Camino's courtyard in Kings Cross having a pint yesterday and I saw a plane flying against the moon, and I wished I had a decent camera. I wonder if it was the same plane?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 30, 2012)

I like the moon one


----------



## mao (Mar 30, 2012)

*The final piece of steel will be placed on the Shard today*


----------



## Zonc808 (Mar 31, 2012)

Wow that joiner ones nuts, waiting for the tube at old st after work tonight I saw a giant lonely planet ad of park st , borough market and the shard in that style. Lots of the photos were taken at different times.of day  (and at slightly skewiff angles), really epic stared at it for bout 8mins staight. Never seen these kinds of montage of photos before, or that i'm aware off. Really good idea for photographs of  cities imo


----------



## paolo (Mar 31, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Photys from the last couple of days...


 
Aaaahhh... now that, I think, explains what I saw on Wednesday.

A rather curious piece was on a flatbed truck parked in the 'staging lane' on St Thomas Street.

I had time to kill so I tracked it, going into the yard, being unloaded, rigged, and finally lifted into position. (From leaving the staging lane, it took about 1h 45 to prep and make it to the top.  )

Basically what I think I saw was the bit that the arm mounts onto. It had 'pins' that would be about the right size for the 'holes' in the arm in your photo. I was telling Crispy about it in the pub on Wednesday night. It's all thought out brilliantly. All the lifting points are there, each painted bright pink, so the riggers can get it right with the minimum of fuss. Strapped onto it was a man cage that will be for the end of the arm in your photo. It was as if the cage had, in part, been designed to strapped on like this, just to simplify the lift. A cross brace between the cage pair was perfectly sized to nestle into the pins.

So, anyway, there's an idea for your photo project. Track a piece from ground to spire, with time stamps.


----------



## Crispy (Mar 31, 2012)

The logisitics of this build have been incredible. There's only the tiniest area on site for unloading, so everything has to be delivered from a staging yard further east, on an as-needed basis.


----------



## paolo (Mar 31, 2012)

Crispy said:


> The logisitics of this build have been incredible. There's only the tiniest area on site for unloading, so everything has to be delivered from a staging yard further east, on an as-needed basis.


 
Yeah, it's very impressive.

Out of interest, do you know where that staging yard is?


----------



## Crispy (Mar 31, 2012)

Not exactly, no. Cybertect will


----------



## quimcunx (Mar 31, 2012)

I don't like the red bits.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 31, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> I don't like the red bits.


 
Yeah, it's the first time I've noticed them and I don't like them either.  I'd have gone for a bronze colour or silver colour but I'm not an architect


----------



## cybertect (Mar 31, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Not exactly, no. Cybertect will


 
I have a vague recollection that it was Erith/Bexleyheath way. The published information was fairly vague.


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 1, 2012)

I regulary see trucks parked up along St Thomas' street on Sunday evenings when leaving the studio we rehearse in to go home. Mainly with the windows in the past few weeks. Obviously the drivers sleep in the trucks and then tip the next morning. Beats battling a Monday rush hour though London in a 44 tonne truck that's for sure.


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

Fortuitously, I happened to have taken the day off for my birthday yesterday and I'd got a tip the night before that topping out was going to occur, so I made my way up to Southwark with my camera.

Apols for the pic heavy post. 

A little after 10am and the first of the new sections of steel are just in place, seen here from Empire Square on Long Lane.








SE view from Weston Street







Ladder being lifted to the top







From the top of Guy's Hospital, it looked like this through the rather mucky windows.







Lunch at a café on St Thomas Street, then a little before 1pm the last section of steel was peeking over the top of the hoarding at Gate 1.






For some reason, at this point, I had Republica's _Ready To Go_ going round and round in my head 

I made my way to Leathermarket Gardens, which I figured would afford the best view of events, and passed my time lounging in the spring sunshine waiting for something to happen.

The BBC's helicopter turned up about an hour later







Then the action started. Here's the sequence








































All done!


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 1, 2012)

Nice one Mr Tect, must be very satisfying seeing as you've been documenting it from the start. Your pics here and on SSC have been the best by a country mile. Top job 

My only burning question left is, how the fuck are they going to get that crane down?


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

Ta. I exchanged emails of congratulations with the architects at RPBW working on the project just after the last bit of steel was installed, which was nice. My pics got a mention from one of them in a recent interview he had done for a French paper. 

I have this feeling I'm going to find myself at a bit of a loose end over lunch times once the crane comes down.


----------



## quimcunx (Apr 1, 2012)

Happy birthday for yesterday cyber.


----------



## paolo (Apr 1, 2012)

Yeah, I'd like to add to the applause. It's the kind of project I would have loved to have done, but my location these days would have meant my attempt would have been shoddy and incomplete compared with yours. I can't think of any major construction that's had such brilliant and comprehensive photographic coverage. I run the main flickr group for the Olympics, and it's nowhere near this.

A request from me, please shoot as much of the crane take-down as you can. Skip work. Get sacked. Just for us.


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 1, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I have this feeling I'm going to find myself at a bit of a loose end over lunch times once the crane comes down.


 
Well, there is the station redelopment coming up, and the new building that's flying up now. But I suppose they're far less impressive than the Shard.

And yes, happy belated bday


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Apr 1, 2012)

Brainaddict said:


> I just find it weird to watch people on this thread admire it when really it is a very big, very pointy cock destined for all our arses  And it's true there are any number of big pointy cocks fucking us at the moment, in the form of the corporate takeover of the state, and the freeing of money from all obligations to nations and citizens, but this one really makes no effort to disguise itself. Zero marks out of ten for stealth skills


 
For all you cock lovers it's time to quote Brainaddict here before people get carried away.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 1, 2012)

As today is one of the first non-hazy days for a while, I took another photo.  You can actually see the red on it now.

This is for you Cybertect.  Belated greetings.  I was going to put it in a frame for you, but I think the fact that I stuck my head out in the cold is present enough.  Now don't go flogging my picture 'cos I know it's worth loads of dosh


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

That's cool. Mind if I post it on skyscrapercity.com?


----------



## bi0boy (Apr 1, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> As today is one of the first non-hazy days for a while, I took another photo. You can actually see the red on it now


 
That tall red column is just temporary though isn't it? It's where the construction lift is fitted.


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> That tall red column is just temporary though isn't it? It's where the construction lift is fitted.



Yes. The doors to the hoist entrance on each floor are red. They will be disappearing and replaced by normal glazing panels in due course.

You can see them clearly in the helicopter photo on this page.

There's also the blind boxes which are red, but I'd be surprised if you can see them from Brixton without some fairly good binoculars.

I could always be proved wrong about that, though


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 1, 2012)

cybertect said:


> That's cool. Mind if I post it on skyscrapercity.com?


 
Are you taking the piss?  

I showed my sister your pictures today.  She said they were absolutely fantastic.  However, she's still trying to figure out how many sides the Shard has


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

No, I'm  entirely serious, it's a good skyline that well illustrates the difference in height between the Shard and the rest of the buildings in The City. 

Depending how you count them there are about seven sides on the main tower at its base reducing to four at the top.


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

Here's a few other photos I took on Friday


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 1, 2012)

cybertect said:


> No, I'm entirely serious, it's a good skyline that well illustrates the difference in height between the Shard and the rest of the buildings in The City.
> 
> Depending how you count them there are about seven sides on the main tower at its base reducing to four at the top.


 
Oh.   If you like.  If you can do anything to make it look better, feel free to do so as I don't understand all that photo editing stuff.   Strange, because years ago, St Paul's clearly stood out, along with the Nat West Tower, and then suddenly more and more buildings appeared, so I suppose it's good to compare with a picture of the skyline from St Paul's up to The Shard before all these new buildings appeared.  Maybe someone on SSC has one?  If they do, maybe you could post it on here?

Seven sides?  That's the reason I got my sister to look at your photos as we didn't know how many sides were on it.  We still didn't know after looking


----------



## cybertect (Apr 1, 2012)

Ta. Will see what I can do then 

There's an interactive thingy with floor plans on the official site for The Shard.

http://the-shard.com/offices/schedule#


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 2, 2012)

Oh no, I can't do floor plans.  They do my head in.  Would rather see proper pictures


----------



## teuchter (Apr 2, 2012)

It would be good to do a kind of redux of this thread with a selection of all the pictures posted by various people from start to end.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 2, 2012)

Yes, that would be good for people who can't be arsed reading


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 2, 2012)

teuchter said:


> It would be good to do a kind of redux of this thread with a selection of all the pictures posted by various people from start to end.


 
Get to work then.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 2, 2012)

I reckon Kyser or Cyber should do it as it's Kyser's thread, and Cyber's posted the most pictures


----------



## teuchter (Apr 2, 2012)

I also agree that it should be done without me doing any work.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 3, 2012)

However, as it's teuchter who wants it, maybe he should do a new pictures thread


----------



## skyscraper101 (Apr 3, 2012)

How about an Urban Flickr album? Much better to browse through.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 3, 2012)

skyscraper101 said:


> How about an Urban Flickr album? Much better to browse through.


 
I don't really like Flickr.   Prefer being able to scroll through here and seeing them a nice large size


----------



## OneStrike (Apr 7, 2012)

Some good pics and a wee story of their adventure from up high on placehacking co.uk.


----------



## tommers (Apr 8, 2012)




----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 8, 2012)

tommers said:


>


 


who, what, why, where, when and how?


----------



## bi0boy (Apr 8, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> who, what, why, where, when and how?


 
http://www.silentuk.com/?p=3782


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 8, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> http://www.silentuk.com/?p=3782


 


Hope there's no terrorists planning to go up there as the security obviously isn't all that


----------



## Mapped (Apr 9, 2012)

I love the fact that he's done a Phd on all this stuff


----------



## Mapped (Apr 9, 2012)

So was it Shard and Fraud? (not my shitty pun!)

http://paulclarke.com/photography/blog/shard-and-fraud/

Someone went up there, but the time seems to be under dispute from this entry, maybe there was some slightly laxer security back then.


----------



## butchersapron (Apr 9, 2012)

The comment might have the answer.


----------



## Mapped (Apr 9, 2012)

butchersapron said:


> The comment might have the answer.


 
Cheers! Didn't look down that far


----------



## Badgers (Apr 9, 2012)

> A group of trespassers managed to break into the Shard - western Europe's tallest building - and scale the pinnacle, it has emerged.


 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17656669

Anyone coming clean?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 9, 2012)

Badgers said:


> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17656669
> 
> Anyone coming clean?


 
Have you looked at the last few posts Badgers?


----------



## Badgers (Apr 9, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Have you looked at the last few posts Badgers?


 
Have a guess


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 9, 2012)

Badgers said:


> Have a guess


 
erm....


----------



## Mapped (Apr 9, 2012)

www.placehacking.co.uk might need a new server 

I wanted to go on there as my Mum's cousin wants to know what happened to Gary


----------



## laptop (Apr 9, 2012)

Panorama from the top: http://www.silentuk.com/panoramas/shard.html


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 10, 2012)

Great skyline a little while ago with rain clouds and the Shard looking like it was just about to get a heavy dumping of rain


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 10, 2012)

Blue skies again


----------



## ddraig (Apr 10, 2012)

it's started channeling already!!! 
RUN minnie! RUN!!!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 10, 2012)

ddraig said:


> it's started channeling already!!!
> RUN minnie! RUN!!!


 
I thought it looked more like it was being beamed up


----------



## cybertect (Apr 10, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Great skyline a little while ago with rain clouds and the Shard looking like it was just about to get a heavy dumping of rain


 
Fab! 

Fortunately, it had passed by by the time I left the office.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 10, 2012)

I looked at The Shard through my binoculars today. Is there a bit at the top that's not completed yet? It looks like it, but hard to tell? 

You should come to me for weather reports so you don't get caught out 

My b/f used to ring me up from Brixton when I worked in Victoria to tell me rain was heading my way and sure enough it would hit a couple of minutes later


----------



## stuff_it (Apr 10, 2012)

Some pics of the Shard, recently...from the inside....

http://www.placehacking.co.uk/2012/04/07/climbing-shard-glass/


----------



## teuchter (Apr 11, 2012)

I was taking pictures of the same storm that Minnie was...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 11, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I was taking pictures of the same storm that Minnie was...


 

Where were you taking them from teuchter?

I think it would be great to have some thread (be it here or SSC) of it from all different places in London, so people can see the skyline from all different angles and show how confusing the bendy River Thames makes things


----------



## teuchter (Apr 11, 2012)

From Loughborough Junction.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 11, 2012)

The gherkin looks in a completely different position than in my picture and the wind turbine building in Elephant looks much further away


----------



## teuchter (Apr 11, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> The gherkin looks in a completely different position than in my picture and the wind turbine building in Elephant looks much further away


 
Yes - now you know what they look like in the correct positions. Sorry about your view being substandard.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 11, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Yes - now you know what they look like in the correct positions. Sorry about your view being substandard.


 
Mine is the correct view.  I am viewing head on.  You're sideways


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

Recent developments...

A derrick crane has been installed on the SW corner, which will be used to dismantle the tower crane.






the hoarding at Gate 1 on the corner of St Thomas Street and Joiner Street has been removed (there are some more canopies yet to be installed over here)






Nice light this morning


----------



## Mapped (Apr 12, 2012)

Does anyone know who owned the freehold before the Quataris? TfL? Network Rail?


----------



## ddraig (Apr 12, 2012)

outstanding pics again
thanks


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

N1 Buoy said:


> Does anyone know who owned the freehold before the Quataris? TfL? Network Rail?



The qataris bought their stake(s) in the scheme from CLS Holdings and Simon Halabi.


----------



## Mapped (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> The qataris bought their stake(s) in the scheme from CLS Holdings and Simon Halabi.


 
Thanks, but before then? The thing's on top of London Bridge Station, it's got to have been public land before that deal. I've tried searching the planning docs and drew a blank.


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

PriceWaterhouseCooper were in the _Southwark Towers_ building that occupied the site. AFAIK, they'd been tenants there since it was built in 1976.

Sellar bought that building from Railtrack in 1998

http://www.estatesgazette.com/talkingproperty/wikis/london/the-shard-london-bridge.aspx




			
				Estates Gazette said:
			
		

> News of plans to create a striking landmark on the site of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Southwark Towers headquarters first emerged in early 2000, two years after Sellar’s Sellar Property had paid Railtrack £37.4m for the building, a 6.93% yield.


----------



## Mapped (Apr 12, 2012)

Ta!


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

Looks like the dismantling of the tower crane has begun. I only had one of my shorter lenses with me, so I had to crop quite heavily.



From the Elephant & Castle








A bit closer on Tower Bridge Road, but not such a good angle.


----------



## Maggot (Apr 12, 2012)

Which crane?  How will they get the final pieces up there?


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 12, 2012)

Maggot said:


> Which crane? How will they get the final pieces up there?


 
The crane in the picture 

I still have no idea how they are going to get it down once it's disassembled it's self to the minimum level. Maybe one of those street based super cranes?


----------



## Crispy (Apr 12, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> The crane in the picture
> 
> I still have no idea how they are going to get it down once it's disassembled it's self to the minimum level. Maybe one of those street based super cranes?


 
They've built a little platform sticking out the side, near the top, on which they will build a smaller crane. Once the big crane has disassembled itself as much as it can, the smaller crane will lower the last parts of the big crane down. Once that's done, the BMU (building maintenance unit - the little crane on the very top that's used to dangle the window cleaners) will lower the parts of the little crane.


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 12, 2012)

Crispy said:


> They've built a little platform sticking out the side, near the top, on which they will build a smaller crane. Once the big crane has disassembled itself as much as it can, the smaller crane will lower the last parts of the big crane down. Once that's done, the BMU (building maintenance unit - the little crane on the very top that's used to dangle the window cleaners) will lower the parts of the little crane.


 
You make it sound so effortless


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

The smaller crane Crispy is referring to is the Derrick crane I posted a photo of yesterday. 

E2a: actually, AFAIK, they're going to take that down the lifts inside in parts once it's done it's job.


----------



## TitanSound (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> The smaller crane Crispy is referring to is the Derrick crane I posted a photo of yesterday.
> 
> E2a: actually, AFAIK, they're going to take that down the lifts inside in parts once it's done it's job.


 
Doh, I forgot to check back a page. That'll teach me.


----------



## Crispy (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> The smaller crane Crispy is referring to is the Derrick crane I posted a photo of yesterday.
> 
> E2a: actually, AFAIK, they're going to take that down the lifts inside in parts once it's done it's job.


Ah, that sounds easier


----------



## teuchter (Apr 12, 2012)

Crispy said:


> They've built a little platform sticking out the side, near the top, on which they will build a smaller crane. Once the big crane has disassembled itself as much as it can, the smaller crane will lower the last parts of the big crane down. Once that's done, the BMU (building maintenance unit - the little crane on the very top that's used to dangle the window cleaners) will lower the parts of the little crane.


 
It's kind of like The Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly, in reverse.


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 12, 2012)

It looks well sinister from the northwest under an overcast sky:




Looks like Perdido Street Station
Sorry about the iPhone pic.


----------



## bi0boy (Apr 12, 2012)

That's an awesome pic, looks like someone spent ages processing it in photoshop to make it look a bit like a painting.


----------



## mao (Apr 12, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> It looks well sinister from the northwest under an overcast sky:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Sorry about the pic? This is the closest to ART in the whole thread and you are sorry?


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 12, 2012)

I just pointed and clicked! No processing.


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 12, 2012)

Less zoomed in:


----------



## RoyReed (Apr 12, 2012)

You can see much more clearly from where I am.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

RoyReed said:


> You can see much more clearly from where I am.
> View attachment 18153


 
How inconsiderate of those branches blocking your view 

Used to be able to see Canary Wharf clearly but now trees have blocked view


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

There was some weird s**t light happening when I popped out at lunch time today.

Dark clouds directly above and to the south, but a fair sized break in the clouds to the north was allowing light to reflect back off their sides, reversing the normal expectation this side of the equator that daylight comes from the south.

Then we got a small window of sunlight peeking through from the south and the south side of the Shard was picked out by the bright clouds in reflection like a bright silver scalpel blade. 

Everything went a bit Frank Miller for a few minutes 




Sin Shardy by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

It's looking weird at the moment as there's a red light that's not on the building.  I decided earlier maybe it's on the end of the crane


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

You're probably right. The crane does have a red light at its tip.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

It's looking nice and shiny on one side in your picture there cyber


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> You're probably right. The crane does have a red light at its tip.


 
Was never protruding that far out though, so it makes the building look like it's lopsided at the top


----------



## cybertect (Apr 12, 2012)

They've been cleaning the glass today... take a look

Extreme Windowcleaning

[not my photo, so I'm just linking]


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> They've been cleaning the glass today... take a look
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/54481577@N07/7070272205/sizes/l/in/photostream/
> 
> [not my photo, so I'm just linking]


 



I'd love to do that (but with my eyes shut and wearing a parachute with a very very deep and wide  enormous bouncy castle underneath me)


----------



## sleaterkinney (Apr 12, 2012)

cybertect said:


> They've been cleaning the glass today... take a look
> 
> Extreme Windowcleaning
> 
> [not my photo, so I'm just linking]


f**k that.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

I reckon I'm going to buy me a flat there when I win the Euromillions



> The flats will likely sell for between 30 and 50 million pounds ($57 and $80 million) each and could attract buyers from Russia, the Middle East and Hong Kong.


 


or maybe not


----------



## InfoBurner (Apr 12, 2012)

Enjoying your pics of the latest grand pyramid. What is it for again?


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 12, 2012)

it's a novel way of dispersing chem trails


----------



## Crispy (Apr 12, 2012)

Incredible light in those photos!

IB: it's offices, luxury hotel, super-luxury apartments and mind control beams.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 12, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Incredible light in those photos!
> 
> IB: it's offices, luxury hotel, super-luxury apartments and mind control beams.


 
Yeah, a Shangri La hotel.  I was in one of those in Malaysia.  They had loads of parrots in cages on the roof.  I reckon they should have a load of parrots at the top of the Shard 

Or we could relocate London's parakeets there rather than killing them


----------



## InfoBurner (Apr 12, 2012)

Well I quite like it whether it bumblefucks your mind with beams or not. Wouldn't go down too well in Wakefield mind you


----------



## teuchter (Apr 13, 2012)

cybertect said:


> They've been cleaning the glass today... take a look
> 
> Extreme Windowcleaning
> 
> [not my photo, so I'm just linking]


 
I can't see what they're actually attached to.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 13, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I can't see what they're actually attached to.


 
I wonder if anyone tells them they've missed a spot


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 13, 2012)

What do you think of the Shard?

Poll in The Telegraph

Love it = 78.88%
Loathe it = 14.97%
Hadn't noticed it = 6.15%  

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/architecture/9198020/The-Shard-the-only-way-is-up.html


----------



## teuchter (Apr 13, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I wonder if anyone tells them they've missed a spot


 
I wonder if it would be possible to ski down the side of the Shard.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 13, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I wonder if it would be possible to ski down the side of the Shard.


 
You could try it and tell us all about it

(if you still have a face left)


----------



## Maggot (Apr 13, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> it's the tallest building in europe now isn't it? why then, doesn't it look so massive? is it the shape of it? every time i pass i think how small it looks and how it can't possibly be that tall. the heron tower is shorter yet for some reason looks much bigger.


 


Orang Utan said:


> Less zoomed in:


 

It looks pretty massive in your picture.


----------



## London_Calling (Apr 13, 2012)

Which one is it?


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 13, 2012)

yeah, it's looking HUGE now


----------



## cybertect (Apr 13, 2012)

London_Calling said:


> Which one is it?


 
The Shard is the pointy building in the middle 

A bit foggy this morning


----------



## cybertect (Apr 20, 2012)

A few pics from the last week

The first was taken from Tower Bridge this lunch time; a vertical pano stitched from 9 shots with a 200mm lens. I'm just providing a link as it's a bit huge. The original is about 15,000 pixels tall 

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20120420_0068-vpan.jpg


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 27, 2012)

Next Wednesday, the Tallest Tower (The Shard) on Channel 4 at 9.00pm


----------



## Dan U (Apr 27, 2012)

i wish they'd hurry up and finish the mini shard.

the tunnels from the tube to the mainline have developed numerous leaks and its a right pain in the arse.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2012)

I took some pics yesterday but the weather was miserable. 

Here's a building that is apparently 'Inspiring Change.' Which is awfully nice of it.






http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-shard-and-london-bridge-quarter-in-the-april-gloom/


----------



## teuchter (May 3, 2012)

Interesting streetlights there. I like the look of them but maybe they are just temporary?


----------



## cybertect (May 3, 2012)

I think they're permanent. The lamps are the same design as inside the station concourse, except they're yellow.


----------



## editor (May 3, 2012)

It's chaotic around London Bridge station with all the construction work going on.


----------



## cybertect (May 3, 2012)

More incoming with the rebuilding of the staion itself with a new entrance on Tooley Street.

Scaffolding is already going up, presumably for the demolition of the train shed.


----------



## teuchter (May 3, 2012)

Demolition of the train shed? Which bit?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 3, 2012)

editor said:


> I took some pics yesterday but the weather was miserable.
> 
> Here's a building that is apparently 'Inspiring Change.' Which is awfully nice of it.
> 
> ...


 
There's some missing floors there. Wonder what they're being used for?


----------



## cybertect (May 3, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Demolition of the train shed? Which bit?


 
All of it. They're creating two new through platforms for Thameslink 2000; the lines will link up with the recently built Borough High Street viaduct.

In order to do that, they need to take out two of the existing terminating platforms on the northern side of the train shed. As a result the whole train shed has to go.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/12179.aspx

http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/cms/pages/view/64


----------



## teuchter (May 3, 2012)

cybertect said:


> All of it. They're creating two new through platforms for Thameslink 2000; the lines will link up with the recently built Borough High Street viaduct.
> 
> In order to do that, they need to take out two of the existing terminating platforms on the northern side of the train shed. As a result the whole train shed has to go.
> 
> ...


 
Oh... I hadn't realised that the old train shed was going as part of the work.


----------



## teuchter (May 3, 2012)

You should get some good photos of it before it goes, cybertect.

I guess it's not a masterpiece of engineering or anything but I like the way it feels quite primitive compared to everything going on around it at the moment.


----------



## cybertect (May 4, 2012)

Eagle-eyed platform staff have been rather effective in dissuading me.  

I've been pulled up while taking just one photo with my phone. Made the mistake of once mentioning that I'd been published and they sent me in the direction of National Rail's commercial dept who quoted £750 per day for a permit to take pictures at the station, even if it was just a five minute visit with no commercial intent. 

Snuck this a few days ago, though




London Bridge Train Shed by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## teuchter (May 4, 2012)

Seriously?

I thought National Rail now had a stated policy allowing photography on stations as long as people observe certain safety guidelines etc. This was drawn up after a lot of dissent from rail enthusiasts being told by officious platform staff that they weren't allowed to take pictures in stations.


----------



## teuchter (May 4, 2012)

Here you go -

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx


----------



## cybertect (May 4, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Seriously?
> 
> I thought National Rail now had a stated policy allowing photography on stations as long as people observe certain safety guidelines etc. This was drawn up after a lot of dissent from rail enthusiasts being told by officious platform staff that they weren't allowed to take pictures in stations.



It's the bit about 'let staff at the Network Rail Reception Desk know that you are on the station' that causes a logistical problem as usually I'm on my way to work or catch a train home. At London Bridge that's a ten minute plus exercise getting buzzed into the office, waiting for a member of staff to deal with me, show ID and sign the visitors book. 

Then you have to go through it all again to sign out so that they can know they don't need to evacuate you from the station if there's a fire (health and safety logic as once signed in I've gone from being a transient passenger to a site visitor and they have to account for me individually).

If I just want to take one or two photographs as I'm passing through it ain't gonna happen.

I tried it for lunch time visits when I had more time, but as soon as I let slip to the guys on the desk that

A) I put my photos on the Internet (they didn't care where)
B) I had had some photos published in the past

They were no longer able to treat me as an amateur, even if my purpose that day was not for publication. I'd have to get a letter from the Commercial Photography & Filming Unit clearing me to photograph on the premises. In their turn, they said I'd have to pay their standard fee in the circumstances (that I do occasionally sell some of my photos even if I undertook not to sell those taken in the station).

Tried it once after, but the guy on the desk at LBG remembered my face and sent me away with the same response I'd had before.

£750 is just a bit steep for a couple of snaps.


----------



## Crispy (May 4, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Oh... I hadn't realised that the old train shed was going as part of the work.


It's going to be put in storage and there is interest from several heritage railways. Also vague rumours of fitting it in at Crystal Palace (it's about the same width and could be easily modified)


----------



## TitanSound (May 4, 2012)

cybertect said:


> If I just want to take one or two photographs as I'm passing through it ain't gonna happen.
> 
> I tried it for lunch time visits when I had more time, but as soon as I let slip to the guys on the desk that
> 
> ...


 
What a load of wank. What the hell is this country coming to when you cannot even take a few pictures of a station you pay to use on a daily basis.

Reminds me of the endless bureaucracy on Trantor in Asimov's Foundation books.


----------



## teuchter (May 4, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> What the hell is this country coming to


 
Urban75 slides quietly into middle age


----------



## hipipol (May 5, 2012)

From the stuff I've seen it looks like London Bridge will end up looking a lot like a larger version of Blackfriars
I will miss the huge high Victorian cast iron vaulting, however flimsy and cheapo it is by comparision with other London termini
LB was always a hodge podge, born in acrimony, sidelined for a time by Bricklayers Arms, even with the vile 60s/70s concourse it was itself, nothing else as even remotely as mental.
The biggest loss really was the old Liverpool street, with its Victorain walkways, bars and cafes on metal stilts over the concourse, if you didn't know the place you wee fucked trying to get your train on time, but it waswell unique.........


----------



## Orang Utan (May 29, 2012)




----------



## bi0boy (May 29, 2012)

So what needs doing up the top now? Is that half-finished look actually what it will look like when it's finished?


----------



## TitanSound (May 29, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> So what needs doing up the top now? Is that half-finished look actually what it will look like when it's finished?


 
Precisely!


----------



## Crispy (May 29, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> So what needs doing up the top now? Is that half-finished look actually what it will look like when it's finished?


Yes, that's the intended look. Not a perfect pyramid, but separate shards.


----------



## bi0boy (May 29, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Yes, that's the intended look. Not a perfect pyramid, but separate shards.


 
I know that, but there's all that steel or concrete at the top - are they going to remove that and just leave the glass there, a bit like this?


----------



## Crispy (May 29, 2012)

Nope


----------



## Crispy (May 29, 2012)

That area was originally designed to house heat rejection radiators for the building's cooling system. Increased efficiencies in air-con design in the intervening time meant that the equipment could be done without. It's not a great look, I agree. If they'd re-designed the spire without the radiators it might have looked a bit better.


----------



## RoyReed (May 29, 2012)

Here's one I took yesterday.


----------



## eoin_k (May 29, 2012)

Is it just me or does this photo:


Orang Utan said:


> Less zoomed in:


 
Bring out a certain biblical aspect to the whole project?


----------



## ska invita (May 30, 2012)

eoin_k said:


> Is it just me or does this photo:
> 
> 
> Bring out a certain biblical aspect to the whole project?


reminds me more of


----------



## RoyReed (May 30, 2012)

I love the cradle that just comes straight out of the side of the building:


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)




----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Where's that taken from OU?


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)

Telegraph Hill in New Cross/Brockley.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> Telegraph Hill in New Cross/Brockley.


 
Nice to see it from a different vantage point


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)

I've just seen it from Nunhead Reservoir. Amazing 360 degree panorama but everything's too far away for a decent picture.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> I've just seen it from Nunhead Reservoir. Amazing 360 degree panorama but everything's too far away for a decent picture.


 
what about taking a normal one and zooming in and cropping it?  That's what I've done to my ones on here


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)

the first pic up there is a zoom and it looks too grainy. Cropping's too much of a faff on a phone (ie i can't be arsed)


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm beginning to think I don't like the colour of the glass on The Shard.  Doesn't really stand out on grey days so hard to get decent pictures (that's my excuse!) although it is quite nice and shiny in your picture OU


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)

I like the way it shines differently in different lights. Sometimes it's dead white.
I wish I'd taken a pic from its base the other day when it just disappeared into a white misty sky


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> I like the way it shines differently in different lights. Sometimes it's dead white.
> I wish I'd taken a pic from its base the other day when it just disappeared into a white misty sky


 
Always seems to be the same colour/shade from where I am, unlike other buildings that get the sun on them.  The Gherkin often catches the light and other glass-fronted buildings often get lovely sunset reflections on them, but The Shard doesn't seem to get either from the direction I view it


----------



## Maggot (Jun 14, 2012)

You should try looking at it from different places.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Maggot said:


> You should try looking at it from different places.


 


It's nice and warm and comfortable from this particular position


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 14, 2012)

Yeah, you need to view it from as many angles - it's different each and every time


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 14, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> Yeah, you need to view it from as many angles - it's different each and every time


 
When it's warm enough to sit outside I will.  Until then... I'm staying put


----------



## TitanSound (Jun 15, 2012)

Good article here. You can see interior shots on the "video" 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18438604


----------



## teuchter (Jun 15, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Good article here. You can see interior shots on the "video"
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18438604


 
That article reads a bit like someone wrote it for their school project.


----------



## TitanSound (Jun 15, 2012)

teuchter said:


> That article reads a bit like someone wrote it for their school project.


 
Why don't you write a strongly worded letter to the BBC forthwith then?

Down with this sort of thing etc etc...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 18, 2012)

Another shot, tried this in Manual mode but sharpened and added contrast and saturation



hm, don't think I like that. Maybe better without the sharpening effects?


----------



## mwgdrwg (Jun 23, 2012)

This was taken by my daughter on her school trip to London this week


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

Decided to try for one before it got totally dark.  Was wondering what the purple thing was that I'd never noticed before and on zooming in, I see it's more OLYMPIC RINGS 




Then I tried that setting (the name of which I can't remember right now) and put it on cloudy and ended up with a nice red sky


----------



## Orang Utan (Jun 28, 2012)

What's the illuminated building in the foreground?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> What's the illuminated building in the foreground?


 
Lambeth Town Hall.  It's about time they fixed the light on that clock face.  It's been out for ages


----------



## maldwyn (Jun 28, 2012)

OMG, a bloke at the Guardian don't like it.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

maldwyn said:


> OMG, a bloke at the Guardian don't like it.


 
Still, I'm looking forward to the laser show 

What time is it on I wonder?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

10.00pm apparently


----------



## quimcunx (Jun 28, 2012)

you're getting good at this photography lark, minnie. 

the town hall looks like a halloween lantern.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> you're getting good at this photography lark, minnie.
> 
> the town hall looks like a halloween lantern.


 
The town hall normally has all clock faces lit up.  Our one (as in the one viewable from this angle) has been out of action for ages

I've just had camera out window again for the last half hour but don't think I'm capable of getting better shots due to lack of bits to twiddle on camera.    It's only a compact


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 28, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> you're getting good at this photography lark, minnie.


 
That's down to fractionman, RoyReed, weltwelt, FridgeMagnet and Hocus giving me lessons


----------



## teuchter (Jun 29, 2012)

The town hall faces are lit up according to the relative moral worth of people in the direction each one faces. That's why the one facing Clapham/Brixton Hill doesn't work these days.


----------



## teuchter (Jun 29, 2012)

maldwyn said:


> OMG, a bloke at the Guardian don't like it.


 
Saying stuff that plenty others have said already. *yawn*


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 29, 2012)

teuchter said:


> The town hall faces are lit up according to the relative moral worth of people in the direction each one faces. That's why the one facing Clapham/Brixton Hill doesn't work these days.


 
Ah piss off!  This is very unusual actually 'cos I can't remember the last time it was unlit for so long .  Maybe they're trying to save money


----------



## teuchter (Jun 29, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Ah piss off! This is very unusual actually 'cos I can't remember the last time it was unlit for so long . Maybe they're trying to save money


Maybe you people up there have been up to no good recently.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jun 29, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Maybe you people up there have been up to no good recently.


 
We are law-abiding citizens up here.  That's why we were rewarded with such views


----------



## Maggot (Jul 4, 2012)

Interview with Renzo Piano coming up on the Culture Show in a minute.

Laser show tomorrow at 10.00pm


----------



## bi0boy (Jul 4, 2012)

I've decided I don't like the 15-story unoccupied bit at the top, it looks like it's been abandoned. I reckon they should have done something more with it, or at least put semi-reflective glass on so you couldn't see inside.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 4, 2012)

Maggot said:


> Interview with Renzo Piano coming up on the Culture Show in a minute.
> 
> Laser show tomorrow at 10.00pm


So where do we reckon is the best place to see the lasers from? Up close or from afar?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 4, 2012)

Maggot said:


> Interview with Renzo Piano coming up on the Culture Show in a minute.
> 
> Laser show tomorrow at 10.00pm


 
FFS, I just looked out the window for the laser show


----------



## Maggot (Jul 4, 2012)

teuchter said:


> So where do we reckon is the best place to see the lasers from? Up close or from afar?


Good question.  If there's some low cloud then you won't see much from afar.  I'm going to the North Bank of the Thames.


----------



## Spark (Jul 4, 2012)

There were some lasers coming of it last night. I guess a rehearsal. We were watching from Kennington park road.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 4, 2012)

Spark said:


> There were some lasers coming of it last night. I guess a rehearsal. We were watching from Kennington park road.


 
What time was that?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 4, 2012)

Daleks

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/20...t-show/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


----------



## Spark (Jul 4, 2012)

About 11pm, maybe a bit later.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 4, 2012)

Spark said:


> About 11pm, maybe a bit later.


 
You could have mentioned it on here then I could have looked out the window


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Well I hope it looks better than this picture

https://twitter.com/DuaneJackson/status/220639358418563073/photo/1


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

I've just been watching lasers


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

I kept thinking something was changing when I was looking out, but couldn't figure what, then I noticed it was the Olympic ring, blue then red


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

I can see some cloud illuminating action going on now.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

editor said:


> I can see some cloud illuminating action going on now.


 
I tried getting photos of that but failed miserably


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I tried getting photos of that but failed miserably


Bit of a tricky thing to photograph!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

editor said:


> Bit of a tricky thing to photograph!


 
Especially with a compact that I barely know how to use  and even if I did, I don't think the camera's capable of that anyway


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

Best I could manage without a tripod.


----------



## Epona (Jul 5, 2012)

Fuck sake - £25 a pop to visit the viewing platform (and £19 for a child ticket). I won't be going up there any time soon. That's fucking bloody outrageous!!!!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

editor said:


> View attachment 20824
> 
> Best I could manage without a tripod.


 
That's good, and you can see the lights at the top of the Sharp better than mine.  I *was *using a tripod

Can't see the Olympic rings on yours though.  I wonder what building they're on?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 5, 2012)

Looks like they are on the Natwest tower judging from your photos.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Looks like they are on the Natwest tower judging from your photos.


 
No, it's not the NatWest Tower, as it's much further to the left. (Well I'm pretty sure it's not, but I could be wrong)

Pretty hazy day out there so hard to even tell in daylight where the building is. Will have to get my binoculars out and scan for the rings, then attempt to take a photo of the area, but my camera's not good enough to get a zoomable picture

Maybe Editor can figure it out from where he is?


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 5, 2012)

I think you might be wrong


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

and you are right 

and is teuchter (just before he jumps down my throat)

Can't recgnose it any more since other buildings have shot up around it.  

Before you posted this, I was looking through my binoculars as well but looking in the wrong place because I couldn't remember where they were.    Will go and have another look now


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Anyway, what exactly are the flags made of?  Is it a big piece of cloth or painted boards or screens or what?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Furthermore, what's that building that's lit up blue?


----------



## Divisive Cotton (Jul 5, 2012)

London's latest monument to Mammon is open for business!


----------



## Crispy (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Furthermore, what's that building that's lit up blue?


Heron tower, over the road from Liverpool St. station


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Heron tower, over the road from Liverpool St. station


 
Thank you Crispy.  What are all those lights for and are they some kind of environmentally friendly lights or are there lots of people that work there all night which means it keeps its lights on all night?


----------



## Crispy (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Thank you Crispy. What are all those lights for and are they some kind of environmentally friendly lights or are there lots of people that work there all night which means it keeps its lights on all night?


Are we talking the same building here?






Between Natwest and Gherkin, stepped roofline, faintly glowing blue, with the spire on top?

The blue glow is just for show


----------



## Dan U (Jul 5, 2012)

this is my benchmark for tonights light show

it gets good/weird about 3m in


also ffs at the £25 entrance fee


----------



## Utopia (Jul 5, 2012)

Gonna head up to Parliament Hill tonight for the 'laser show', hopefully it'll be a clear night, i've got a half decent DSLR so i'll take some pics and post them up if they're any good. 

Where's everyone else going to watch it from just out of interest?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 5, 2012)

The Heron tower is rubbish.

And I'm disappointed in you Minnie for considering that there could be a possibility of my being wrong.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Utopia said:


> Gonna head up to Parliament Hill tonight for the 'laser show', hopefully it'll be a clear night, i've got a half decent DSLR so i'll take some pics and post them up if they're any good.
> 
> Where's everyone else going to watch it from just out of interest?


 
Living room 

Looking forward to pictures


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

teuchter said:


> The Heron tower is rubbish.
> 
> And I'm disappointed in you Minnie for considering that there could be a possibility of my being wrong.


 
Only disappointed.  You should be absolutely disgusted.

I feel very ashamed that I ever doubted you teuchter


----------



## teuchter (Jul 5, 2012)

Dan U said:


> this is my benchmark for tonights light show
> 
> it gets good/weird about 3m in
> 
> ...




I fear what we get tonight may fall well short of that benchmark.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Only disappointed. You should be absolutely disgusted.
> 
> I feel very ashamed that I ever doubted you teuchter


 
Hopefully you will learn from your mistake.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 5, 2012)

The North side of Heron tower is pretty good. Big diagonals. The rest is all a bit of a mishmash.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Hopefully you will learn from your mistake.


 
I doubt it


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

Anyone know what time the laser show actually begins? I'd like to get settled in a nice spot with a bag of beers.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> Anyone know what time the laser show actually begins? I'd like to get settled in a nice spot with a bag of beers.


 
I read somewhere 10.00pm, then I read somewhere else last night that it was 10.15pm


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

Ah sweet, I just clocked you post this a page back - thanks Minnie. I shall head up if it's not raining. I love lasers, me.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

Now I'm torn. Do I go up London Bridge, find a spot up close and personal and really immerse myself in the occasion or would it be better viewed from a big hill some distance away? Like Norwood Hill in Crystal Palace, you get a pretty decent vista from there. I'd hate to think I'm missing the bigger picture if I was stood right underneath it, but likewise I'd be wondering how spectacular it would look from the river if I was peering on from miles away.

Thoughts urbs?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> Now I'm torn. Do I go up London Bridge, find a spot up close and personal and really immerse myself in the occasion or would it be better viewed from a big hill some distance away? Like Norwood Hill in Crystal Palace, you get a pretty decent vista from there. I'd hate to think I'm missing the bigger picture if I was stood right underneath it, but likewise I'd be wondering how spectacular it would look from the river if I was peering on from miles away.
> 
> Thoughts urbs?


 
Think it would be dependent on weather, and judging by my pictures last night, I wouldn't say the lasers looked razor sharp from Brixton, so even further away, not sure


----------



## teuchter (Jul 5, 2012)

I find myself faced with the same dilemna.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 5, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> Now I'm torn. Do I go up London Bridge, find a spot up close and personal and really immerse myself in the occasion or would it be better viewed from a big hill some distance away? Like Norwood Hill in Crystal Palace, you get a pretty decent vista from there. I'd hate to think I'm missing the bigger picture if I was stood right underneath it, but likewise I'd be wondering how spectacular it would look from the river if I was peering on from miles away.
> 
> Thoughts urbs?


I really don't think there will be much occasion to get immersed in. I recommend North side of Southwark Bridge for a river view, or up Parliament Hill for a distant view.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

It'd be nice to be up there for the big occasion, the atmosphere etc. And presumably it'll be filmed from just about every conceivable angle and distance anyway, ready to watch when I get home... so I'm kinda edging towards hopping on a train up London Bridge. 

Cheers for the tip Minnie, you may just have made up my mind.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

Crispy said:


> I really don't think there will be much occasion to get immersed in. I recommend North side of Southwark Bridge for a river view, or up Parliament Hill for a distant view.


 
Yeah Parliament Hill sounds like a safe bet for a good view. And you might be right about the 'big occasion'.. I'm not expecting canapés and bubbly, but who knows.


----------



## Maggot (Jul 5, 2012)

The ideal location would be in another tall building nearby.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 5, 2012)

There's the cocktail bar on top of Tower 42, which is free but you have to book, and I bet it's already booked solid.


----------



## Kanda (Jul 5, 2012)

I think I'll stand at the top of Lyham Rd.

Or maybe grab the boys that have the Penthouse on New Park Road.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

There's a website showing it live, so I may hook up my computer to tv as well


----------



## hipipol (Jul 5, 2012)

May I suggest One Tree Hill?
Always good for the NY fireworks, plus you get a real sense of its humongous size from there


----------



## Orang Utan (Jul 5, 2012)

Anywhere near West Norwood that's good for viewing?


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 5, 2012)

Orang Utan said:


> Anywhere near West Norwood that's good for viewing?


 
Norwood Park, facing north up that big Crystal Palace hill, has great views - and a kida viewpoint, with various notable buildings etched into a piece of steel or something.


----------



## bromley (Jul 5, 2012)




----------



## bi0boy (Jul 5, 2012)

anywhere near the centre that'll be good? I'll be near London Bridge but I think that'll be too close.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

The Tallest Building:  Building the Shard is currently repeating on More 4


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 5, 2012)

I am puzzled why people are excited about what to me is a shit ugly tower-block that is going to house the super-rich in over expensive apartments, international corporations in over expensive office space, and charge mugs £25 to go and have a look out of it's windows. 

*shrugs*


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

claphamboy said:


> I am puzzled why people are excited about what to me is a shit ugly tower-block that is going to house the super-rich in over expensive apartments, international corporations in over expensive office space, and charge mugs £25 to go and have a look out of it's windows.
> 
> *shrugs*


 
Well I visited Buckingham Palace and I know I've no chance of living there, but was curious to see how the other half live anyway.  Some of their decor is a bit bleurgh


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Well I visited Buckingham Palace and I know I've no chance of living there, but was curious to see how the other half live anyway. Some of their decor is a bit bleurgh


 
Yeah, but that has history connected to it, and is not a bad looking building, this thing is just a big pile of steel & glass, that's ugly as fuck, a total blot on the skyline - FFS some of the apartments are reported to be on sale at £50m a pop.

And I feel sorry for the poor buggers that will have to clean the windows.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

claphamboy said:


> Yeah, but that has history connected to it, and is not a bad looking building, this thing is just a big pile of steel & glass, that's ugly as fuck, a total blot on the skyline - FFS some of the apartments are reported to be on sale at £50m a pop.
> 
> And I feel sorry for the poor buggers that will have to clean the windows.


 
Maybe if you got a job as a bog cleaner, you too could get into one of those £50m flats


----------



## Maggot (Jul 5, 2012)

If anyone wants to join me at a good close-up vantage point -- send me a pm,


----------



## Reno (Jul 5, 2012)

I'm going to watch this from Primrose Hill which is a 20 minute walk. I like a bit of a laser show.


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

Where's the freaking LAZOOOORS?


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 5, 2012)

Behind the freaking sofa.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

editor said:


> Where's the freaking LAZOOOORS?


 
10.15 I read


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

It's meant to be live on here

https://www.facebook.com/events/326593940754020/

but can't figure out where.   Was going to plug laptop into tv


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

I'vejust seen one laser


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

> 10pm: The inauguration is literally going to light up the sky. Put the 5th July in your diary and get ready to be amazed.


I'm prepared.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

starting


----------



## ddraig (Jul 5, 2012)

also sort of streaming ere
http://www.the-shard.com/inauguration/


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

fffs get on with it


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Will be available shortly.  Maybe it's not kicking off 'til 10.30pm? 

I dashed back from the pub for this


----------



## editor (Jul 5, 2012)

I'm off to the pub.


----------



## magneze (Jul 5, 2012)

Erm. Can anyone see it? Up a hill in South London. Can't see many lasers...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

magneze said:


> Erm. Can anyone see it? Up a hill in South London. Can't see many lasers...


 
Can only see the practice laser they were using last night.  I reckon it'll kick off at 10.30.  It better


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Some rich billionaire who's buying a flat there has probably held up proceedings by arriving late


----------



## magneze (Jul 5, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Can only see the practice laser they were using last night.  I reckon it'll kick off at 10.30.  It better


We can't even see that. Fucking Bob Diamond.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

magneze said:


> We can't even see that. Fucking Bob Diamond.


 
I can see it.


----------



## _pH_ (Jul 5, 2012)

I am on a very busy London Bridge which from about 9.30 gradually got taken over by pedestrians until the police were left with no choice but to stop the traffic, at least southbound.

The Shard looks great, all colour changing and firing lasers. Pewpewpew!!! With the smoke around the bottom, and the spotlights it's very reminiscent of an Apollo launch.

There are a lot of people wandering around saying 'is that it?' Not sure what they expected, for it to take off into the night sky? Pricks.


----------



## ddraig (Jul 5, 2012)

stream of pics
http://picfog.com/search/Shard#


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 5, 2012)

Maybe they expected this _ph_

https://www.facebook.com/events/326593940754020/


----------



## RubyToogood (Jul 5, 2012)

Haha, I knew it would be the same deal as the Crystal Palace TV thing. I saw a green laser coming from the base and that was it. I reckon the CP one was fairly awesome by comparison.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jul 5, 2012)

I think people were expecting Sauron's eye to open or a well of unspeakable evil to open up or summat.


----------



## magneze (Jul 5, 2012)

Couldn't see it from where we were, but the camera saw the lasers - like reverse vampires.


----------



## girasol (Jul 5, 2012)

Here's what the camera saw  from very far away

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plasmatika/sets/72157630440993120/with/7510924116/




P1160530 by girasol, on Flickr


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

saw it from by the Thames. Thought it was a bit crap really but nice to see people come out to watch it.


----------



## quimcunx (Jul 6, 2012)

Why do people keep expecting laser shows to be something amazing and spectacular? Even if they work they aren't amazing and spectacular.

Is there still a club in Brechin which has a laser show? People would arrange coach trips for nights out there. That was the first and last time I allowed myself to be underwhelmed by lasers.


----------



## cybertect (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> saw it from by the Thames. Thought it was a bit crap really but nice to see people come out to watch it.



I was mostly near the wobbly bridge.

Yep, it was about what I expected. Pretty cool, but not mind-blowing.

The festival atmosphere made it something special, a fair number of people down on the beach with the tide so low on the Thames. I did end up talking to quite a few random strangers, which was a nice change for London.


----------



## r0bb0 (Jul 6, 2012)

how to lite up a building

The tallest building in Dublin city was wired up with two huge 100,000 Euro screens...


----------



## r0bb0 (Jul 6, 2012)

^
could av used some lazers


----------



## elbows (Jul 6, 2012)

Oh how I envy Londoners.




> *Ed Davey*BBC News, London
> There was a distinctly War of the Worlds look to the London skyline from the top of the BBC's New Broadcasting House. The Shard resembled an awkward and somewhat immobile spider spinning an intricate web of green from its lair in SE1. It must have looked curious to air traffic. Was this London? Or Bladerunner? But from the West End it would be an exaggeration to call the effect mind-blowingly spectacular. From a distance the lasers were rather lost in the bigness of the city - perhaps the beams were tempered for fear of putting people's eyes out. 'Like a rubbish disco', was the comment of one BBC night owl. In truth, exploring the darkened nether-reaches of New Broadcasting House's half-finished top floor to watch it was as much fun as the laser show itself.


----------



## editor (Jul 6, 2012)

quimcunx said:
			
		

> Why do people keep expecting laser shows to be something amazing and spectacular?.


Maybe because that's how it was billed.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

girasol said:


> Here's what the camera saw  from very far away
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/plasmatika/sets/72157630440993120/with/7510924116/


 
Fucking hell, that's amazing.  I'm really pissed off I missed it  





















It's lucky nobody paid for that shit


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I was mostly near the wobbly bridge.
> 
> Yep, it was about what I expected. Pretty cool, but not mind-blowing.
> 
> The festival atmosphere made it something special, a fair number of people down on the beach with the tide so low on the Thames. I did end up talking to quite a few random strangers, which was a nice change for London.


 
I'll be most disappointed if you haven't got good pictures


----------



## Kanda (Jul 6, 2012)

I had a great view of the city. Could see from twickers stadium all the way round to the antenna on crystal palace.


It was shit.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

I would post my pictures up, but they're identical to the practice run yesterday so I won't bother


----------



## Kanda (Jul 6, 2012)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18716658

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/25/shard-metaphor-for-modern-london


----------



## girasol (Jul 6, 2012)

Some good photos from flickr's 'shard laser' tags

http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=all&q=shard+laser&m=text


----------



## AverageJoe (Jul 6, 2012)




----------



## magneze (Jul 6, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> Why do people keep expecting laser shows to be something amazing and spectacular? Even if they work they aren't amazing and spectacular.
> 
> Is there still a club in Brechin which has a laser show? People would arrange coach trips for nights out there. That was the first and last time I allowed myself to be underwhelmed by lasers.


I went to a nightclub in Majorca that had a pretty cool one. Dolphins and stuff.


----------



## pesh (Jul 6, 2012)

so they pointed 4 lasers out of a window?
spectacular.


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 6, 2012)

pesh said:


> so they pointed 4 lasers out of a window?
> spectacular.


 
And not even from near the top.


----------



## pesh (Jul 6, 2012)

if only they had Arcadia's budget


----------



## TopCat (Jul 6, 2012)

That was shit.


----------



## Utopia (Jul 6, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Living room
> 
> Looking forward to pictures


 
I won't even bother putting up what pics I took, massively disappointing, it changed colour a bit, we saw a greenish blob flicker a little & that was that, those PR shots that went out promoting it were, shall we say, 'slightly' misleading!

The laser 'no' show was almost as rubbish as the time they tried to make the BT tower into a light saber!


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)




----------



## Crispy (Jul 6, 2012)

Amazed that anyone expected anything more.


----------



## Badgers (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:
			
		

> Amazed that anyone expected anything more.



I expected a little more. Not much, just thousands of white doves.

Was still better that the North London laser show


----------



## Utopia (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Amazed that anyone expected anything more.


 
Well I at least expected something that resembled the promo shot that was everywhere! -


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 6, 2012)

Promo shot in misleading, hyped up shocker


----------



## girasol (Jul 6, 2012)

You'd have to be on a helicopter to see that


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

I felt it was a bit of a wasted opportunity. If you're going to rig up a load of lasers on a skyscraper, there are all sorts of things you could do that would be more interesting than just pointing them at other buildings in a random sequence. The whole thing seemed ill-conceived because as a spectator you couldn't really see what they were pointing at anyway. Kind of like the basic concept was flawed. Of course it may have made more sense if you were in the VIP reception at the top so the reality was probably that they were mainly interested in impressing the people in there (and the TV helicopters broadcasting it around the world).

It seems a bit impolite really... having imposed their monolith* on our skyline, they could have done something aimed at pleasing Londoners. Lots of people showed up and they were let down a bit really.

Same applies to charging so much for going up to the viewing gallery really. I think if you live somewhere where you can see the shard from your street you should be entitled to go up fro free.


*I do think it's a very nice monolith though


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

I also wondered if there were a bunch of drunk people at the top pointing the lasers at whatever they felt like.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Amazed that anyone expected anything more.


 
I expected some lasers. Turns out they hired the same ones I used to use for my basement club night. Fucking ridiculous, but it was a nice night out chilling with the crowds in a tee and shorts with a bottle of wine - it was summer, just for one night.


----------



## girasol (Jul 6, 2012)

AverageJoe said:


>




That doesn't look too bad, but maybe they should have had fireworks instead


----------



## FridgeMagnet (Jul 6, 2012)

On the plus side, it does suggest that when the full-power anti-terrorist lasers are installed they'll be pretty rubbish at frying protestors.


----------



## Utopia (Jul 6, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Promo shot in misleading, hyped up shocker


 

Hmmmm yes indeed. 

It just seemed like it was a missed opportunity to me, so many people out & about, a collective if you will, all assembled together, in the dark of night, chatting away anticipating a spectacular light/laser show to then be shown damp squib which caused them to sigh disappointingly, shoulders drop and then shuffle away home in silence....thinking about what could've been.


----------



## Utopia (Jul 6, 2012)

On the funny side, check out the 'Shards'  Twitter account from last night onwards, pretty witty - https://twitter.com/#!/TheShardview


----------



## cybertect (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


>


 
I think I must have been standing right next to you 




The Shard Light show by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard Light show by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard Light show by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## cybertect (Jul 6, 2012)

girasol said:


> That doesn't look too bad, but maybe they should have had fireworks instead


 
Apparently, having a hospital next door ruled out fireworks.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I think I must have been standing right next to you


 
Clearly my cameraphone is much better than whatever you were using.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

Utopia said:


> It just seemed like it was a missed opportunity to me, so many people out & about, a collective if you will, all assembled together, in the dark of night, chatting away anticipating a spectacular light/laser show to then be shown damp squib which caused them to sigh disappointingly, shoulders drop and then shuffle away home in silence....thinking about what could've been.


 
This.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 6, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I would post my pictures up, but they're identical to the practice run yesterday so I won't bother


 
I'd put mine up, but you can't see any lasers. So they look really shit.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> Apparently, having a hospital next door ruled out fireworks.


 
but they'll have fireworks along the River for New Year's despite St Thomas's Hospital?


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 6, 2012)

Well either I was literally blind drunk last night, or this yube clip is a work of fiction. Did anyone else see this shiz?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> Well either I was literally blind drunk last night, or this yube clip is a work of fiction. Did anyone else see this shiz?




Seems like I was blind drunk too.

Unless that is the opposite side of the tower from what I could see.


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Seems like I was blind drunk too.
> 
> Unless that is the opposite side of the tower from what I could see.


 
You'd think they'd have presented the show to the huge crowds lining the Thames, as opposed to the opposite side with Guys hospital slap bang in the way. But then again, one would've assumed there would be visible lasers too.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> You'd think they'd have presented the show to the huge crowds lining the Thames, as opposed to the opposite side with Guys hospital slap bang in the way. But then again, one would've assumed there would be visible lasers too.


 
Looking at it carefully I think it may have been the face facing northeast rather than northwest (which is what I was looking at). The river is still in the foreground.


----------



## cybertect (Jul 6, 2012)

It is. That was taken from just outside old Billingsgate Market directly on the opposite side of the river..


----------



## El Sueno (Jul 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> It is. That was taken from just outside old Billingsgate Market directly on the opposite side of the river..


 
That's where we were headed, Billingsgate - until we discovered the whole area had been privately hired and was closed to the public. Bastards.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> Well either I was literally blind drunk last night, or this yube clip is a work of fiction. Did anyone else see this shiz?




I saw *ONE *of those lasers


----------



## Maggot (Jul 6, 2012)

El Sueno said:


> I expected some lasers. Turns out they hired the same ones I used to use for my basement club night. Fucking ridiculous, but it was a nice night out chilling with the crowds in a tee and shorts with a bottle of wine - it was summer, just for one night.


 Agreed (except I never had a basement club night).

Still it was good to see El Sueno and El Sueno Hermano.

It needed some music or some fireworks or something spectacular at the end.


----------



## Brixton Hatter (Jul 6, 2012)

I cycled with a fellow urbanite up to Southwark Bridge to see this - it was a bit rubbish, as we had predicted. The bridge was packed full of people, lots of whom started to leave early with "is that it?" comments all over the place. Still, it was nice to have a few cans and a spliff on a bridge over the river. Can't be arsed to upload the slightly rubbish pictures, sorry! Missed opportunity methinks...


----------



## Badgers (Jul 6, 2012)

Brixton Hatter said:
			
		

> I cycled with a fellow urbanite up to Southwark Bridge to see this - it was a bit rubbish, as we had predicted. The bridge was packed full of people, lots of whom started to leave early with "is that it?" comments all over the place. Still, it was nice to have a few cans and a spliff on a bridge over the river. Can't be arsed to upload the slightly rubbish pictures, sorry! Missed opportunity methinks...



Got your text mate (cheers) but our view was crap. We went back to the sofa and watched 80's television.


----------



## Brixton Hatter (Jul 6, 2012)

Badgers said:


> Got your text mate (cheers) but our view was crap. We went back to the sofa and watched 80's television.


Yeah sorry for getting your hopes up mate - it was a bit rubbish wasn't it!


----------



## Brixton Hatter (Jul 6, 2012)

Utopia said:


> On the funny side, check out the 'Shards'  Twitter account from last night onwards, pretty witty - https://twitter.com/#!/TheShardview


 that's pretty good!


----------



## Badgers (Jul 6, 2012)

Brixton Hatter said:
			
		

> Yeah sorry for getting your hopes up mate - it was a bit rubbish wasn't it!



If my hopes these days are so small they involve looking out my bedroom window I am fucked


----------



## magneze (Jul 6, 2012)

It was an allegory for our modern times. Lots of people straining to see and yet only the "VIPs" at the top of the tower actually able to properly watch the "spectacular". Essentially class-war in laser form.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 6, 2012)

The VIPs were actually on the other side of the river, at old billingsgate market


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:


> The VIPs were actually on the other side of the river, at old billingsgate market


 
Smells fishy to me 

Why weren't they in the building itself?


----------



## Crispy (Jul 6, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Smells fishy to me
> 
> Why weren't they in the building itself?


 
Because it's nowhere near finished (on the inside)


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Because it's nowhere near finished (on the inside)


 
Does anyone know what parts are actually finished, internally?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

TitanSound said:


> Does anyone know what parts are actually finished, internally?


Yes


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Yes


 
Polite version: Well share it with us, oh lord of information 

Rude version: Information, now, CUNT


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

I am not in possession of the information. I know that someone is though.


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I am not in possession of the information. I know that someone is though.


----------



## salem (Jul 6, 2012)

There was a good crowd of people on Parliament Hill, a couple of hundred at least I'd say. The disappointment was pretty strong in everyone - people had picnics and big cameras and all sorts. You could see the building change colour slightly (less noticeable then when the London Eye is lit up) and there was a small green dot towards the bottom of the building which blinked occasionally. It was really really poor and I'm glad that I only happened to be walking my dog that way at the time.

Highlight of the evening was someone who brought their own laser pen and was shining it on the trees 

Twice this morning I've heard people on the train talking about how crap it was.

This along with the piss taking announcement that the public viewing platform will cost £25 to visit (before being shut due to lack of interest and turned into more flats) seems to have changed Londoners perception of the Shard.

Even the Telegraph has a story on their website The Shard – a giant middle finger directed by the super-rich at the rest of London


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

salem said:


> Even the Telegraph has a story on their website The Shard – a giant middle finger directed by the super-rich at the rest of London


That's great because no other journalists or commentators have made this novel point repeatedly already.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jul 6, 2012)

It's a recycled criticism. They said the same, with some justification, about Canary Wharf


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Because it's nowhere near finished (on the inside)


 
I knew that

I was joking with the "sounds fishy" but it obviously wasn't a joke appreciated


----------



## teuchter (Jul 6, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I knew that
> 
> I was joking with the "sounds fishy" but it obviously wasn't a joke appreciated


 
In retrospect it was a great joke.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

teuchter said:


> In retrospect it was a great joke.


 
I'd already come to the conclusion that it flew above everyone's head like a flying fish


----------



## elbows (Jul 6, 2012)

Shard Oh Nay.

Sorry about that one, send the bill for groan recovery to Qatar.


----------



## elbows (Jul 6, 2012)

edit - decided this joke was too bad even by my standards so I have expunged it.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

Anyway, does anyone know what this building is that's always got the dazzling light?


----------



## elbows (Jul 6, 2012)

A tin foil hat store?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 6, 2012)

elbows said:


> A tin foil hat store?


 
Your jokes are getting worse elbows


----------



## elbows (Jul 6, 2012)

No, its only my ability to resist posting them that is failing!


----------



## Artaxerxes (Jul 6, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I think I must have been standing right next to you
> 
> The Shard Light show by cybertect, on Flickr


 
And I'm one of the people on the shoreline in that last photo


----------



## ricbake (Jul 6, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> View attachment 20876
> Anyway, does anyone know what this building is that's always got the dazzling light?


It's either one of the flood lights on the artificial pitch at Kennington Park or at the Oval Cricket Ground


----------



## cybertect (Jul 6, 2012)

Artaxerxes said:


> And I'm one of the people on the shoreline in that last photo


 
I seem to have been with quite a crowd of people I know online, but didn't know it. 

Here's a triptych from last night - after the lasers had stopped




Shard RGB by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## ddraig (Jul 6, 2012)

ace
sell prints to the penthouse owners for £250,000 each


----------



## cybertect (Jul 7, 2012)

I wish 

Still, I'm doing OK with The Shard this month... Sold five photos to the Architectural Record mag in the US, one to Domus mag in Italy and a full pager to Architectural Digest in China (plus a couple of nin-Shard skyline shots for a book on London that's just been published).


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 7, 2012)

cybertect said:


> I wish
> 
> Still, I'm doing OK with The Shard this month... Sold five photos to the Architectural Record mag in the US, one to Domus mag in Italy and a full pager to Architectural Digest in China (plus a couple of nin-Shard skyline shots for a book on London that's just been published).


 
Nice one Cyber


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 7, 2012)

ricbake said:


> It's either one of the flood lights on the artificial pitch at Kennington Park or at the Oval Cricket Ground


 
Oh really. I'm swaying towards Oval. Would never have crossed my mind that's what it was.

Not really sure.  I've looked at it through binoculars and it looks like lots of individual lights


----------



## elbows (Jul 7, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Oh really. I'm swaying towards Oval. Would never have crossed my mind that's what it was.
> 
> Not really sure. I've looked at it through binoculars and it looks like lots of individual lights


 
Does this help?

http://www.abacuslighting.com/news.asp?id=111

http://www.abacuslighting.com/news.asp?id=124


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 7, 2012)

elbows said:


> Does this help?
> 
> http://www.abacuslighting.com/news.asp?id=111
> 
> http://www.abacuslighting.com/news.asp?id=124


 
Does look like it.  If we can see it that brightly from Brixton, mustn't it be really annoying for local residents?


----------



## cybertect (Jul 7, 2012)

Some extras from Thursday night




The Shard vs Tate Modern by cybertect, on Flickr




Shard Illuminations: the wide view by cybertect, on Flickr




The Shard and London Bridge by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 7, 2012)

Very nice cyber, but I'm glad I didn't waste my time going up there to see it (although I did dash back from pub to watch it, gave up, and returned to pub)


----------



## Brixton Hatter (Jul 8, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> View attachment 20876
> Anyway, does anyone know what this building is that's always got the dazzling light?


I've seen that several times as well...I posted somewhere on the boards about it a couple of months ago but no-one knew what it was. Looking again at your photo, it DOES look like floodlights at the Oval....from where I was looking it looked like it was in town somewhere near the Shard, but having consulted a map I think it could be the Oval...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 8, 2012)

Brixton Hatter said:


> I've seen that several times as well...I posted somewhere on the boards about it a couple of months ago but no-one knew what it was. Looking again at your photo, it DOES look like floodlights at the Oval....from where I was looking it looked like it was in town somewhere near the Shard, but having consulted a map I think it could be the Oval...


 
Yeah, the bendy Thames really fucks up your perception of where things are in relation to each other


----------



## teuchter (Jul 8, 2012)

I can see those lights from mine too (Loughborough Junction). They looked to me like they were near the houses of Parliament/Whitehall but I guess they can be anywhere on a straight line between. Someone could draw lines on a map based on my and MtM's co-ordinates and triangulate their exact location


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 8, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I can see those lights from mine too (Loughborough Junction). They looked to me like they were near the houses of Parliament/Whitehall but I guess they can be anywhere on a straight line between. Someone could draw lines on a map based on my and MtM's co-ordinates and triangulate their exact location


 
Good idea.  Wonder if Crispy's charting skills extends to maps?   Think you'd need Editor's vantage point as well as he's looking from a completely different direction


----------



## teuchter (Jul 8, 2012)

I could do it easily myself but I can't be bothered.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 8, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I could do it easily myself but I can't be bothered.


 
Is this because you're too excited about the Scottish (British if he wins) man today?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 8, 2012)

Is that tennis? Unless he is playing an English, then he has already proven that the scots are superior to you lot.


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 8, 2012)

teuchter said:


> Is that tennis? Unless he is playing an English, then he has already proven that the scots are superior to you lot.


 
Every Scot that moves south of the border lowers the average IQ of both countries.


----------



## hipipol (Jul 9, 2012)

claphamboy said:


> Every Scot that moves south of the border lowers the average IQ of both countries.


Oh dear, with maths like that...........


----------



## Crispy (Jul 9, 2012)

It's definitely the oval.


----------



## Treacle Toes (Jul 10, 2012)




----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 10, 2012)

Crispy said:


> It's definitely the oval.


 
I believe you


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 10, 2012)

Rutita1 said:


>


 
I've found a much better one


----------



## Treacle Toes (Jul 10, 2012)

Minnie, I love it!


----------



## maldwyn (Jul 10, 2012)

thanks for that minnie, I'm now going to be thinking Atos whenever I see it.


----------



## uk benzo (Jul 11, 2012)

View from King's College London, Guys campus. Sorry for poor quality, photo taken with my crappy camera phone.





Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 11, 2012)

Rutita1 said:


> Minnie, I love it!





maldwyn said:


> thanks for that minnie, I'm now going to be thinking Atos whenever I see it.


 
Best pisstake of Atos I've seen so far


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 11, 2012)

uk benzo said:


> View from King's College London, Guys campus. Sorry for poor quality, photo taken with my crappy camera phone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
*rubs sore neck*


----------



## bi0boy (Jul 11, 2012)

Crispy said:


> Amazed that anyone expected anything more.


 
They could have done something a bit better than your average nightclub



But no, they did something a bit worse than a child with a laser pointer.


----------



## hipipol (Jul 11, 2012)

Walked by it today
The Place is taking shape
"Oh Brave New World, etc"


----------



## magneze (Jul 11, 2012)

Still can't believe the top is going to look like that. It's unfinished!


----------



## claphamboy (Jul 11, 2012)

magneze said:


> Still can't believe the top is going to look like that. It's unfinished!


 
It needs to be left like that for these chaps to get in & out.


----------



## bi0boy (Jul 11, 2012)

Will the top 15 odd floors serve any purpose whatsoever, or is it just a willy extender?


----------



## Greebo (Jul 11, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> Will the top 15 odd floors serve any purpose whatsoever, or is it just a willy extender?


AFAIK, luxury flats.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 11, 2012)

The top inhabitable floors, yes.

The "mascara brush" bit at the very top was originally going to contain passive heat rejection radiators for the a/c system. But a/c efficiency improved greatly since the original design, meaning the radiators were no longer needed. Those floors are too small for any sensible habitable use, so they remain empty.


----------



## editor (Jul 12, 2012)

Seeing as urban has ranked pretty highly in searches for The Shard occasionally and my blog has posted so much coverage, I wrote to them to ask if I could come inside and take some photos (like so many others have done recently).

"Fuck off," they said (in so many words).


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 12, 2012)

Crispy said:


> The top inhabitable floors, yes.
> 
> The "mascara brush" bit at the very top was originally going to contain passive heat rejection radiators for the a/c system. But a/c efficiency improved greatly since the original design, meaning the radiators were no longer needed. Those floors are too small for any sensible habitable use, so they remain empty.


 
I'm sure they could squeeze a soon-to-be homeless family up there


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 12, 2012)

editor said:


> Seeing as urban has ranked pretty highly in searches for The Shard occasionally and my blog has posted so much coverage, I wrote to them to ask if I could come inside and take some photos (like so many others have done recently).
> 
> "Fuck off," they said (in so many words).


 

You should publicise this more widely and embarrass them into submission


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 12, 2012)

View attachment 21014
Was looking nice at 4.00am

View attachment 21010


----------



## Crispy (Jul 12, 2012)

Gorgeous


----------



## elbows (Jul 12, 2012)

Meanwhile the London Zoo are having a laugh with the Gherkin.







https://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/news/the-gherkin-to-become-the-penguin,974,NS.html


----------



## TitanSound (Jul 12, 2012)

editor said:


> Seeing as urban has ranked pretty highly in searches for The Shard occasionally and my blog has posted so much coverage, I wrote to them to ask if I could come inside and take some photos (like so many others have done recently).
> 
> "Fuck off," they said (in so many words).


 
Probably because even though it's "Open" it's not actually finished. Still hoardings and tatty looking steel at the base.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 12, 2012)

editor said:


> Seeing as urban has ranked pretty highly in searches for The Shard occasionally and my blog has posted so much coverage, I wrote to them to ask if I could come inside and take some photos (like so many others have done recently).
> 
> "Fuck off," they said (in so many words).


 
If they were going to let you in on that basis then they should have let in the rest of us who have contributed to this thread as well.


----------



## editor (Jul 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> If they were going to let you in on that basis then they should have let in the rest of us who have contributed to this thread as well.


I was asking to be let in on the basis that I'd posted at least five popular illustrated blog posts on the topic that had - at times - ranked very highly in Google for anyone looking for info about the building's progress. 

How about you? What articles did you write?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 12, 2012)

editor said:


> I was asking to be let in on the basis that I'd posted at least five popular illustrated blog posts on the topic that had - at times - ranked very highly in Google for anyone looking for info about the building's progress.
> 
> How about you? What articles did you write?


 
I have contributed insightful commentary and quite a lot of photos, some of which were, frankly, excellent. And urban75's google rating (as if that should be a measure of quality) is partly due to the hard work of all us regular posters over the years.


----------



## editor (Jul 12, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I have contributed insightful commentary and quite a lot of photos, some of which were, frankly, excellent. And urban75's google rating (as if that should be a measure of quality) is partly due to the hard work of all us regular posters over the years.


Best get off your arse and write to the Shard's management then. Good luck!


----------



## Crispy (Jul 12, 2012)




----------



## ddraig (Jul 13, 2012)

wow!


----------



## RubyToogood (Jul 13, 2012)

Crispy said:


>



Ulp. That's quite high. 

If you did take the stairs, I wonder how long that would be (in length rather than time). It'd have to be over a mile.


----------



## Crispy (Jul 13, 2012)

My favorite bit is all the trains like little snakes


----------



## teuchter (Jul 13, 2012)

RubyToogood said:


> Ulp. That's quite high.
> 
> If you did take the stairs, I wonder how long that would be (in length rather than time). It'd have to be over a mile.


 
It would be about a third of a mile.


----------



## bi0boy (Jul 13, 2012)

teuchter said:


> It would be about a third of a mile.


 
0.15 miles high, you would probably need to use some trigonometry to work out the length of staircase.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 13, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> 0.15 miles high, you would probably need to use some trigonometry to work out the length of staircase.


 
It's 0.2 miles high. Assuming stairs are at about 45 degrees 0.2 x 1.41 = 0.28 plus a bit extra for landings and the fact that the stairs will be a bit shallower than 45 degrees makes about a third of a mile.


----------



## maldwyn (Jul 13, 2012)

In the posted video the riverside views are stunning.


----------



## editor (Jul 13, 2012)

teuchter said:


> It's 0.2 miles high. Assuming stairs are at about 45 degrees 0.2 x 1.41 = 0.28 plus a bit extra for landings and the fact that the stairs will be a bit shallower than 45 degrees makes about a third of a mile.


I think your calculations are a bit out. 


> The maximum pitch for domestic stairs is 42°, semi-public stairs, eg factories, offices and common stairs serving more than one dwelling, 38° and public stairs, eg places of public assembly, 33°.
> 
> http://www.stairplan.co.uk/regulations.htm


----------



## bi0boy (Jul 13, 2012)

teuchter said:


> It's 0.2 miles high. Assuming stairs are at about 45 degrees 0.2 x 1.41 = 0.28 plus a bit extra for landings and the fact that the stairs will be a bit shallower than 45 degrees makes about a third of a mile.


 
The viewing area is 0.15 miles high. Floors higher than that are not accessible.


----------



## teuchter (Jul 13, 2012)

editor said:


> I think your calculations are a bit out.


 
Did you read the bit where I said "the fact that the stairs will be a bit shallower than 45 degrees", Mr Stair Pitch Expert?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 13, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> The viewing area is 0.15 miles high. Floors higher than that are not accessible.


 
Oh I see. Fair enough.


----------



## ricbake (Jul 15, 2012)

Flood light at the Oval as seen from the roof of Blue Star House


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 15, 2012)

ricbake said:


> View attachment 21142
> 
> Flood light at the Oval as seen from the roof of Blue Star House


 
It would have been better if it was switched on


----------



## ricbake (Jul 15, 2012)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> It would have been better if it was switched on


 
It is the wide angle view!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 15, 2012)

ricbake said:


> It is the wide angle view!


 
ah right, yes, I can see it in the wide angle view.  My apologies


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 28, 2012)

The Shard's lit up at the top.  Is this just for the Olympics or is it a permanent thing?


----------



## ddraig (Jul 28, 2012)

it's calling to the cauldron in the stadium!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 28, 2012)

ddraig said:


> it's calling to the cauldron in the stadium!


 
To those Masonic lighting towers


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 2, 2012)

Some nice blue sky and clouds reflected on The Shard today


----------



## RoyReed (Sep 30, 2012)

I'm still amazed by the window cleaning.




Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr




Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr




Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr




Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


----------



## bi0boy (Sep 30, 2012)

Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.


----------



## cesare (Sep 30, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.


Yep


----------



## paolo (Sep 30, 2012)

bi0boy said:


> Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.


 
The way the top ends does give that impression. I'd expected it to be 'splintery' at the top, but there's something odd about it.


----------



## cesare (Sep 30, 2012)

paolo said:


> The way the top ends does give that impression. I'd expected it to be 'splintery' at the top, but there's something odd about it.


I keep trying to (unsuccessfully) convince myself that it's *meant* to be shard-like at the tip, but I can see why it just looks unfinished.


----------



## Spymaster (Sep 30, 2012)

cesare said:


> I keep trying to (unsuccessfully) convince myself that it's *meant* to be shard-like at the tip, but I can see why it just looks unfinished.


 
Yep. It should come to a neat point, imo. It looks like the top sections still need to be brought together. Annoys me every time I see it .... which is about 5 times a day.


----------



## cesare (Sep 30, 2012)

Spymaster said:


> Yep. It should come to a neat point, imo. It looks like the top sections still need to be brought together. Annoys me every time I see it .... which is about 5 times a day.


Or even a few neat points at different heights. On reflection (lol) I think it might be the sight of the infrastructure (if that's the right word) that makes it look as though they ran out of money and thought, "fuck it, it's meant to be a shard, leave it like that".


----------



## Maggot (Sep 30, 2012)

RoyReed said:


> I'm still amazed by the window cleaning.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I'm amazed that it isn't done by machines. Is that due to it's unusual shape?


----------



## paolo (Sep 30, 2012)

cesare said:


> Or even a few neat points at different heights.



Yeah, that.


----------



## blossie33 (Sep 30, 2012)

I was in the Bermondsey area a couple of weeks ago and was surprised that the Shard appears smaller close to. Think it must be the perspective with it going up to a point.


----------



## claphamboy (Sep 30, 2012)

I am still amazed they didn't go those few extra feet to make it the tallest free standing structure in the UK.

*unimpressed*


----------



## story (Sep 30, 2012)

On a clear blue sunny day, the sky is reflected off the Shard so the building pretty much disappears against the sky.


----------



## Brainaddict (Sep 30, 2012)

Re the top, your problem is that you expect architect's mock-ups to be honest and you're still longing for it to look like they claimed it would look 





When of course the point of these renderings is to market the building, so you can expect the same level of honesty as from any advert


----------



## bi0boy (Sep 30, 2012)

Looks like they consulted MC Escher for the top bit in that pic.


----------



## bi0boy (Sep 30, 2012)

claphamboy said:


> I am still amazed they didn't go those few extra feet to make it the tallest free standing structure in the UK.
> 
> *unimpressed*


 
I think if they'd done that all the planes landing at Heathrow would have crashed or something.


----------



## bromley (Sep 30, 2012)

The gaps on the top right make it look unfinished IMO, any idea why, aesthetics?


----------



## teuchter (Oct 1, 2012)

I think it was possibly a mistake to paint all the steelwork white, as it makes it very visible when really you want it to sink away and the glass to be the main thing you see.

Not just the bits that are visible near the top but all the framing that sits behind the glass...in certain lights it makes them look messy instead of the sleek glass planes they should be.

Also, if you stand below it and look directly up the edge of one of the "shards" the metal edging is not very straight.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 11, 2013)

68th floor. A loo with a view.






(they could've at least put the seat down)


----------



## Manter (Jan 11, 2013)

Plane came in on a clear day this week so you had an amazing view of London..... Emphasised how out of scale the shard is. It should have been at canary wharf....


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 11, 2013)

Ah that's better.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Ah that's better.


 
Saw that somewhere else 

I couldn't even go in a one-way glass one so doubt I could use that


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 11, 2013)

I'd quite like it, oddly. But only during the day as I doubt anyone would see. I think I'd feel different at night if I knew I was all illuminated inside while hoards of sightseers were gawping up at the Shard.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> I'd quite like it, oddly. But only during the day as I doubt anyone would see. I think I'd feel different at night if I knew I was all illuminated inside while hoards of sightseers were gawping up at the Shard.


 
If it was at a different angle, I'd be worried pervs in the Gherkin would have their binoculars out, even though I know they're lower down and unlikely to see anything


----------



## salem (Jan 11, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Ah that's better.


 
That seat looks a) really cheap and b) not straight.

Probably why they left it up in the first picture.


----------



## Spymaster (Jan 11, 2013)

They are two different bogs.


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jan 11, 2013)

I bet that's not Andrex quilted with Aloe Vera either.


----------



## handyman121 (Jan 11, 2013)

skyscraper101 said:


> Ah that's better.


So anyone with a pair of binoculars can see what is going on in the loo !  Are the lower floors the same ?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

handyman121 said:


> So anyone with a pair of binoculars can see what is going on in the loo ! Are the lower floors the same ?


 
Not if you're higher up than them and I'd imagine it's only the higher up ones that are totally exposed


----------



## bromley (Jan 11, 2013)

I down own a pair of binoculars but have a good idea what's going on in the loo.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

bromley said:


> I down own a pair of binoculars but have a good idea what's going on in the loo.


 
People might be joining the Shard High Club


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 11, 2013)

I was told today that it costs £100 to go to the top of The Shard if you don't buy a ticket in advance. 
£100!


----------



## teuchter (Jan 11, 2013)

Orang Utan said:


> I was told today that it costs £100 to go to the top of The Shard if you don't buy a ticket in advance.
> £100!


That's about £1 per storey. Based on this I am going to start charging people £2.50 to visit the upstairs of my flat.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

Orang Utan said:


> I was told today that it costs £100 to go to the top of The Shard if you don't buy a ticket in advance.
> £100!


 
Their website seems to have seized up


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 11, 2013)

Orang Utan said:


> I was told today that it costs £100 to go to the top of The Shard if you don't buy a ticket in advance.
> £100!


 
From The Telegraph



> A limited number of ‘walk-up’ tickets will be available each day, costing £29.95 for adults and £23.95 for children if you’re willing to wait until the next available session, or £100 per adult or per child if you want to ascend straight away. I know that latter charge sounds unbelievable but I hope you can trust me – the lady at the booking centre assured me I hadn’t misheard her.


----------



## Divisive Cotton (Jan 12, 2013)

Has anybody noticed that on a winters night this building has an uncanny resemblance to Mordor ?


----------



## Greebo (Jan 12, 2013)

Divisive Cotton said:


> Has anybody noticed that on a winters night this building has an uncanny resemblance to Mordor ?<snip>


That might explain why one does not simply walk in and take a lift to the 72nd floor without paying.


----------



## Orang Utan (Jan 12, 2013)

Divisive Cotton said:


> Has anybody noticed that on a winters night this building has an uncanny resemblance to Mordor ?


It has been noted. I think I posted a photoshopped pic earlier in the thread


----------



## Maggot (Jan 26, 2013)

This story is such bollocks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...ard-lawyers-investigate-knickers-mystery.html

*The Shard is bringing in a team of lawyers to investigate after staff found a pair of women's black knickers in the men's lavatories at the 68th floor viewing platform of Britain's tallest skyscraper.*



Because the first thing you'd do after finding some knickers is hire a team of lawyers.


----------



## teuchter (Jan 26, 2013)

Maggot said:


> Because the first thing you'd do after finding some knickers is hire a team of lawyers.


 
It's always the first thing I do


----------



## RedDragon (Jan 26, 2013)

> *Is the Shard really 'worse than the Taliban'?*
> 
> 
> Telegraph


----------



## teuchter (Jan 27, 2013)

As that article mentions, it's quite sad to see the rash of shamefully mediocre skyscrapers that are appearing around London at the moment. The shard is not one of them.


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Jan 27, 2013)

Divisive Cotton said:


> Has anybody noticed that on a winters night this building has an uncanny resemblance to Mordor ?


  It's more Isengard I'd say.


----------



## Belushi (Jan 27, 2013)

It's a great addition to the London sjkyline.  I can see it from my windows, in fact I can see it from where I am now in bed , I love the way it can look completely different depending on the light.


----------



## frogwoman (Jan 27, 2013)

i thought it was too small to be the shard when i saw it completed


----------



## Belushi (Jan 27, 2013)

Tall buildings often look surprisingly small when youre up close ime   Skyscrapers are best viewed from a distance.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

I've just been almost temporarily blinded by looking at the sun's reflection on The Shard.  Was really dazzling


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

I do like the way the light changes on it throughout the day, but still pissed off it doesn't seem to get the sunset like another building near to it.

Anyway, here's some pics


----------



## bromley (Jan 30, 2013)

That remind me of Thundercats.


----------



## teuchter (Jan 30, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> still pissed off it doesn't seem to get the sunset like another building near to it.


 
It can't, because of the slope on the surfaces which means that they are always reflecting the upper parts of the sky. As sunset by definition happens near the horizon, there's no way you'd be able to see the reflection of it in the angled surfaces of the Shard (unless you were way higher up than the Shard itself).


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

teuchter said:


> It can't, because of the slope on the surfaces which means that they are always reflecting the upper parts of the sky. As sunset by definition happens near the horizon, there's no way you'd be able to see the reflection of it in the angled surfaces of the Shard (unless you were way higher up than the Shard itself).


 
Oh


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

bromley said:


> That remind me of Thundercats.


 
I have no idea what Thundercats is so googled and it's a cartoon


----------



## bi0boy (Jan 30, 2013)

teuchter said:


> It can't, because of the slope on the surfaces which means that they are always reflecting the upper parts of the sky. As sunset by definition happens near the horizon, there's no way you'd be able to see the reflection of it in the angled surfaces of the Shard (unless you were way higher up than the Shard itself).


 
If the sunset makes the sky red though it should be nice.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

bi0boy said:


> If the sunset makes the sky red though it should be nice.


 
Yeah, well that's more what I was thinking.  If you're up close to it, you can see the clouds and sky reflected as in this picture I posted earlier in thread, so I assumed the sunset would show up


----------



## TitanSound (Jan 30, 2013)




----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

TitanSound said:


>


 
There's no picture TitanSound


----------



## editor (Jan 30, 2013)

Not sure if it's a reaction the recent helicopter crash, but recently the top of the thing has been lit up like a Christmas tree at night.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

editor said:


> Not sure if it's a reaction the recent helicopter crash, but recently the top of the thing has been lit up like a Christmas tree at night.


 
Nah, that's been since before the helicopter crash.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 30, 2013)

I took a picture of it thinking it was a temporary thing.  This was taken on 17 December.  Bit fuzzy as it was early hours of the morning and it was too freezing for me to be sticking my head out the window for too long


----------



## editor (Jan 30, 2013)

Here's a quick snapshot of how it looks now:



I need to buy a tripod!


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

Your lights at the top look different to mine


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

However, I have noticed this recently and the light on St Paul's is a new addition 

Maybe it's the tip of a jib of a crane and we can't see the arm, but it looks like it's on the dome


----------



## teuchter (Jan 31, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Yeah, well that's more what I was thinking. If you're up close to it, you can see the clouds and sky reflected as in this picture I posted earlier in thread, so I assumed the sunset would show up


 
Well, it won't. Better to abandon your dreams now than live the rest of your life in disappointment.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

teuchter said:


> Well, it won't. Better to abandon your dreams now than live the rest of your life in disappointment.


 


Maybe I'll have to see if St George's Wharf Tower is any better


----------



## teuchter (Jan 31, 2013)

I think you will have a good chance with that one.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

Caught it again today at 3.10pm (just in case anyone wants to know roughly the time the sun might hit it).  Wasn't as dazzling and it didn't last as long as yesterday though


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

Greebo

Pics at 1428 are more dazzling


----------



## clicker (Jan 31, 2013)

teuchter said:


> Well, it won't. Better to abandon your dreams now than live the rest of your life in disappointment.


 gutted.....looking forward to that too.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

clicker said:


> gutted.....looking forward to that too.


 


We need a new building built to satisfy our needs for one that the sunset will reflect nicely off


----------



## peterkro (Jan 31, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> However, I have noticed this recently and the light on St Paul's is a new addition
> 
> Maybe it's the tip of a jib of a crane and we can't see the arm, but it looks like it's on the dome


 
There's no light like that on St Paul's, given I think you took pic from the south it must be something on the south side of river as there's nothing like that between St Paul's and the river.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

peterkro said:


> There's no light like that on St Paul's, given I think you took pic from the south it must be something on the south side of river as there's nothing like that between St Paul's and the river.


 
I know I've never seen a light like that on St Paul's, which is why I noticed it immediately.

What could it be other than a crane? 

Have had a look on Skyscraper forum to see if anyone's put pictures up that might give us a clue but can't see anything


----------



## clicker (Jan 31, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> We need a new building built to satisfy our needs for one that the sunset will reflect nicely off


 
maybe a 450 ft high glass Flame shaped building....and Flame as in proper Flame shaped....not like the 'now you see me now you don't', non pointy shard effort. The Flame would come to life at sunset....could we possibly build it to catch sunrise too....maybe a discreet porthole left to baffle the future generations, who would gather in _'We Love London_' sweatshirts, to watch the weak winter sun shine through at exactly fourteen minutes past three....what can it mean, who are they, are we alone......the future is bright - the future is Flame.


----------



## peterkro (Jan 31, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I know I've never seen a light like that on St Paul's, which is why I noticed it immediately.
> 
> What could it be other than a crane?
> 
> Have had a look on Skyscraper forum to see if anyone's put pictures up that might give us a clue but can't see anything


Looking at the pic it looks like it's a lot closer to the camera than St Paul's probably a crane or something on one of the buildings going up around Blackfriars road or thereabouts.( St Paul's is only a few hundred yards from me but because of where I am I can't look south but deffo it's not something on north side of river)


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

clicker said:


> maybe a 450 ft high glass Flame shaped building....and Flame as in proper Flame shaped....not like the 'now you see me now you don't', non pointy shard effort. The Flame would come to life at sunset....could we possibly build it to catch sunrise too....maybe a discreet porthole left to baffle the future generations, who would gather in _'We Love London_' sweatshirts, to watch the weak winter sun shine through at exactly fourteen minutes past three....what can it mean, who are they, are we alone......the future is bright - the future is Flame.


 


Get designing then


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 31, 2013)

peterkro said:


> Looking at the pic it looks like it's a lot closer to the camera than St Paul's probably a crane or something on one of the buildings going up around Blackfriars road or thereabouts.( St Paul's is only a few hundred yards from me but because of where I am I can't look south but deffo it's not something on north side of river)


 
Ah well, maybe someone will figure it out, like they figured out the cricket ground lights


----------



## Dan U (Feb 1, 2013)

some of you might like this, mate of mine worked on it

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddes...feb/01/view-from-top-shard-london-interactive


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 1, 2013)

Dan U said:


> some of you might like this, mate of mine worked on it
> 
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddes...feb/01/view-from-top-shard-london-interactive


 
I like the dusk view


----------



## Hellsbells (Feb 1, 2013)

i love the shard.


----------



## bi0boy (Feb 1, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I know I've never seen a light like that on St Paul's, which is why I noticed it immediately.
> 
> What could it be other than a crane?
> 
> Have had a look on Skyscraper forum to see if anyone's put pictures up that might give us a clue but can't see anything





peterkro said:


> Looking at the pic it looks like it's a lot closer to the camera than St Paul's probably a crane or something on one of the buildings going up around Blackfriars road or thereabouts.( St Paul's is only a few hundred yards from me but because of where I am I can't look south but deffo it's not something on north side of river)


 
Yes, It appears to be far too large to be behind St Pauls:


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 2, 2013)

bi0boy said:


> Yes, It appears to be far too large to be behind St Pauls:
> 
> View attachment 28394


 


So what is it?  Crane?


----------



## teuchter (Feb 2, 2013)

paging Jazzz


----------



## Maggot (Feb 2, 2013)

Dan U said:


> some of you might like this, mate of mine worked on it
> 
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddes...feb/01/view-from-top-shard-london-interactive


Tell him (or her) that they got the South East London Power Plant in the wrong place.

Apart from that it's pretty impressive.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Feb 2, 2013)

btw, I didn't see light there last night, so maybe crane has moved position.

eta: I've just looked through my binoculars and there are two cranes there


----------



## editor (Feb 6, 2013)

It looked well moody today:







http://www.urban75.org/blog/dramatic-sunbursts-light-up-the-london-shard-skyscraper/


----------



## RoyReed (Feb 8, 2013)

The Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr




The Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr




The Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


----------



## teuchter (Feb 8, 2013)

RoyReed said:


> The Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


 
Are they putting stupid cladding panels all over the Guy's tower?


----------



## clicker (Feb 10, 2013)

editor said:


> It looked well moody today:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now that's  what I wanted it to do


----------



## laptop (Feb 10, 2013)

teuchter said:


> Are they putting stupid cladding panels all over the Guy's tower?


 
Yes. http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5353
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5353


----------



## bromley (Feb 10, 2013)

I think the cladding improves Guy's.


----------



## zenie (Feb 10, 2013)

Had a great time up the shard last Monday. It really is breathtaking the IWW from up there.

What's really nice is that although you get a ticket to go up at a particular time you don't seem to get chucked out. We were up there for nearly an hour.  need to get the pics off my camera and post them


----------



## editor (Apr 16, 2013)

I finally got to go up the Shard too!






















http://www.urban75.org/blog/view-from-the-shard-a-trip-to-the-top-of-the-tallest-building-in-europe/


----------



## QueenOfGoths (Apr 16, 2013)

That does look fantastic  I really like the pic of the BT Tower with the Wembley arch in the distance 

£25.00 each though...I'm still baulking at that, might have to save my pennies up!


----------



## teuchter (Apr 16, 2013)

editor said:


> http://www.urban75.org/blog/view-from-the-shard-a-trip-to-the-top-of-the-tallest-building-in-europe/


 
I'd just like to point out that at 244.3 metres it is not the highest the public can go in the UK.


----------



## laptop (Apr 16, 2013)

teuchter said:


> I'd just like to point out that at 244.3 metres it is not the highest the public can go in the UK.


 
"Ben Nevis (Scottish Gaelic: _Beinn Nibheis_, pronounced [peˈɲivəʃ]) is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Standing at 1,344 metres..." ?


----------



## Maggot (Apr 16, 2013)

editor said:


> I finally got to go up the Shard too!


I thought Clive Dunn was dead.


----------



## mincepie (Apr 16, 2013)

QueenOfGoths said:


> That does look fantastic  I really like the pic of the BT Tower with the Wembley arch in the distance
> 
> £25.00 each though...I'm still baulking at that, might have to save my pennies up!



Yeah - and this (cheaper! price) is with  the advanced booking - I'd only want to go up if sunny - supposing you booked in advance and it was just cloudy?!!  Waste of a trip.


----------



## RedDragon (Apr 16, 2013)

editor said:


>


I find this image quite engaging. 

Bugger me if I'm going to pay £25 to get up there.


----------



## Orang Utan (Apr 16, 2013)

The black man looks happy


----------



## editor (Apr 17, 2013)

mincepie said:


> Yeah - and this (cheaper! price) is with the advanced booking - I'd only want to go up if sunny - supposing you booked in advance and it was just cloudy?!! Waste of a trip.


There's often get tickets available on the day (but probably less so at peak hours).


----------



## twentythreedom (Apr 17, 2013)

It's awesome, the view and perspective is amazing.


----------



## twentythreedom (Apr 17, 2013)

editor said:


> I finally got to go up the Shard too!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
No offence, but you haven't aged well


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Apr 18, 2013)

teuchter said:


> I'd just like to point out that at 244.3 metres it is not the highest the public can go in the UK.


 
No, 40,000ft of there abouts. Used to be 65,000 until Concorde retired.


----------



## RoyReed (Apr 18, 2013)

Bahnhof Strasse said:


> No, 40,000ft of there abouts. Used to be 65,000 until Concorde retired.


I don't think Concorde ever got to 65,000' over the UK on a public flight.


----------



## Bahnhof Strasse (Apr 18, 2013)

RoyReed said:


> I don't think Concorde ever got to 65,000' over the UK on a public flight.


 
It did, but only when pedants were looking the other way.


----------



## teuchter (Apr 28, 2013)

From my Thames-side penthouse apartment yesterday:


----------



## Crispy (Apr 28, 2013)

Wow, even the hospital tower looks good in that light


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 28, 2013)

teuchter said:


> From my Thames-side penthouse apartment yesterday:
> 
> View attachment 31965View attachment 31966


 


That's lovely teuchter.  Where was it really taken from?


----------



## teuchter (Apr 28, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Where was it really taken from?


 Not sure what you mean. Visitors to my luxury riverside apartment often comment that the view is very similar to that from the outside bit at the back of the Tate members' bar though, if that helps you place it.


----------



## DJWrongspeed (Apr 28, 2013)

I'll say it again......it's all just COCK.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Apr 29, 2013)

teuchter said:


> Not sure what you mean. Visitors to my luxury riverside apartment often comment that the view is very similar to that from the outside bit at the back of the Tate members' bar though, if that helps you place it.


 
Oh, I thought you lived in Brixton


----------



## teuchter (Apr 29, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Oh, I thought you lived in Brixton


That is just my holiday home.


----------



## thriller (Apr 29, 2013)

teuchter said:


> From my Thames-side penthouse apartment yesterday:


 
how easy is it to pull girls by telling them you have a penthouse, out of interest? Is pussy easier to get. serious question.


----------



## clicker (Apr 29, 2013)

thriller said:


> how easy is it to pull girls by telling them you have a penthouse, out of interest? Is pussy easier to get. serious question.


Do you honestly think anyone on the 17th floor is suburban enough to have a cat flap?


----------



## teuchter (Apr 30, 2013)

thriller said:


> how easy is it to pull girls by telling them you have a penthouse, out of interest? Is pussy easier to get. serious question.


 
I've never tried; they are entranced by my immense charm and good looks before I have even mentioned my luxury riverside penthouse apartment.


----------



## laptop (May 1, 2013)

clicker said:


> Do you honestly think anyone on the 17th floor is suburban enough to have a cat flap?


----------



## uk benzo (May 3, 2013)

Shard today:


----------



## quimcunx (Jul 10, 2013)

Some rather nice pics here: 

It seems to be a very photogenic building. 


http://www.flickr.com/photos/catchlightsa/sets/72157632414128324/


----------



## vauxhallmum (Jul 11, 2013)

Greenpeace protest on top of the shard today


----------



## cybertect (Jul 11, 2013)

vauxhallmum said:


> Greenpeace protest on top of the shard today


 

I caught 'em at it earlier this morning.




Greenpeace  IceClimb by cybertect, on Flickr




Greenpeace  IceClimb by cybertect, on Flickr




Greenpeace  IceClimb by cybertect, on Flickr


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 23, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> View attachment 20623


 
See that building that had the rings on last year? It's now lit up green. What's that all about?

eta:  It's the NatWest Tower I seem to remember


----------



## teuchter (Jul 23, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> See that building that had the rings on last year? It's now lit up green. What's that all about?
> 
> eta: It's the NatWest Tower I seem to remember


 
Saw you posted on this thread and thought you might have photo with Shard and lightning in.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 23, 2013)

teuchter said:


> Saw you posted on this thread and thought you might have photo with Shard and lightning in.


 
As if I'd ever be good enough to get something like that


----------



## clicker (Jul 23, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> See that building that had the rings on last year? It's now lit up green. What's that all about?
> 
> eta: It's the NatWest Tower I seem to remember


 
To celebrate the birth of the Lizard Boy King?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 23, 2013)

clicker said:


> To celebrate the birth of the Lizard Boy King?


 
but it's green, is it an Irish baby?


----------



## clicker (Jul 23, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> but it's green, is it an Irish baby?


no it's a lizard baby.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 23, 2013)

clicker said:


> no it's a lizard baby.


 
An Irish lizard baby


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 18, 2013)

I'm going on Wednesday.  Fucked up with the tickets though.  Didn't realise there were discounted tickets for disabled as they weren't listed under "tickets" but "disabled access".  

Luckily someone else is treating us


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 20, 2013)

Managed to get refund.  Carers go free, and disabled get a discount.


----------



## Bungle73 (Aug 20, 2013)

Why book so far in advance? What if the weather is crap?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 20, 2013)

Bungle73 said:


> Why book so far in advance? What if the weather is crap?


 
What's the point on relying on weather forecast.  Last night, Wednesday was showing as a full sun day and 24 degrees.  Today that has changed to 22 degrees and a half sun day and weatherman on news was saying cloudy. 

I've no idea how high demand is (especially during holidays) and how many people they let in at any one time.  I only had a choice of 4 days, Monday-Thursday, so I just had to pick which looked like a decent day


----------



## Bungle73 (Aug 20, 2013)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> What's the point on relying on weather forecast. Last night, Wednesday was showing as a full sun day and 24 degrees. Today that has changed to 22 degrees and a half sun day and weatherman on news was saying cloudy.
> 
> I've no idea how high demand is (especially during holidays) and how many people they let in at any one time. I only had a choice of 4 days, Monday-Thursday, so I just had to pick which looked like a decent day


But you've got more chance of knowing what the weather is going to be like the day before (just had a look and plenty of spots for tomorrow), rather than several days in advance. If the weather doesn't play ball you could end up basically wasting your money.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 20, 2013)

Like I said, I had no idea how fast the slots filled.  Anyway, Monday wasn't really a possibility as guests didn't arrive 'til late Monday and went to Ripley's.  Thursday we're going on the Cable Car.  Thursday there may be rain.  So really, only 3 days to do it, and as her son is getting to the age where it might be his last time here with his mum before he starts pissing off on his own with friends on holiday....


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 21, 2013)

Well I went up it today and enjoyed it.  The gift shop is a massive rip-off though, but that's only to be expected


----------



## Manter (Aug 21, 2013)

View from the Shard is included in Open House London, ballot closes Friday


----------



## RedDragon (Nov 21, 2013)

Oh look, someone took the Queen up the Shard


----------



## BoxRoom (May 22, 2014)

Via https://twitter.com/aiaworldwide


----------



## Bungle73 (May 22, 2014)

I'm sure very tall buildings get hit by lightening all the time; that's what lightening conductors are for.

As a matter of the fact if you watch the 1998 version of Godzilla, there's a scene in it where the WTC gets hit by lightening, and if you listen to the DVD commentary they say that it was just a fluke that it happened while they were filming.


----------



## Maggot (May 22, 2014)

teuchter said:


> Saw you posted on this thread and thought you might have photo with Shard and lightning in.


 It's your lucky day.


----------



## BoxRoom (Jun 5, 2014)

Shard evacuated today. Someone saw a bit of smoke in the basement. 900 people evacuated, seven blimmin' fire crews!

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...reports-of-smoke-in-the-basement-9491033.html


----------



## hash tag (Jun 5, 2014)

If there is  a chance of a fire in the building the lifts are normally stopped. 87 floors up isa lot of steps to walk down .

Unless some of the lifts keep going because they cover some but not all of the floors?


----------



## editor (Sep 23, 2014)

I visited the ultra plus Shangri-La hotel last week - and got to sit on the highest tech look my botty has ever perched on: 











http://www.urban75.org/blog/views-f...tel-london-landscapes-and-a-high-tech-toilet/


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 23, 2014)

What's happening at The Shard that there's flashing lights on the top?  Another party?


----------



## Belushi (Dec 23, 2014)

I think it's xmas lights, it was all lit up last night as well.


----------



## laptop (Dec 23, 2014)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> What's happening at The Shard that there's flashing lights on the top?  Another party?






...and another view of the Christmas lights on top of The Shard in London / Picture: REX licensed to the _Telegraph_


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 23, 2014)

Belushi said:


> I think it's xmas lights, it was all lit up last night as well.



Last night just seemed to be a solid white light (as opposed to the normal yellowish light), although I may have looked after midnight and the dancing lights may have stopped by then


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 24, 2014)

Maybe it has to be a clearer night or you have to be closer to see the spotlights beaming up to the sky, 'cos I can't see them from here


----------



## ska invita (Dec 24, 2014)

those red lights off it tonight are just evidence of the evil of it all
i feel genuinely sorry for all of londons anti-illuminati conspiracy theorists - its a tough sight to behold


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (Dec 24, 2014)

ska invita said:


> those red lights off it tonight are just evidence of the evil of it all
> i feel genuinely sorry for all of londons anti-illuminati conspiracy theorists - its a tough sight to behold



Do you mean that pyramid of red lights to the right of The Shard?


----------



## ska invita (Dec 24, 2014)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Do you mean that pyramid of red lights to the right of The Shard?


the pyramid ON TOP OF THE PYRAMD!!!11!!


----------



## Gromit (Dec 24, 2014)

ska invita said:


> those red lights off it tonight are just evidence of the evil of it all
> i feel genuinely sorry for all of londons anti-illuminati conspiracy theorists - its a tough sight to behold



Only the Illuminati illuminate buildings. Which is why i steer clear of Blackpool and buildings like this:


----------



## Maggot (Dec 24, 2014)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> What's happening at The Shard that there's flashing lights on the top?  Another party?


Belushi is right:
http://www.theguardian.com/extra/2014/dec/19/shard-lights-festive-christmas-display


----------



## teuchter (Sep 28, 2015)

We've not celebrated our south london overlord for a while.

Took this last night whilst attempting to photograph the Supermoon Eclipse.


----------



## T & P (Sep 28, 2015)

I have to say it just doesn't do it for me...


----------



## Manter (Sep 28, 2015)

I hate it. Was at a meeting there the other week and it's just weird at ground level, messes up the pedestrian flow. Hate it


----------



## teuchter (Sep 28, 2015)

Philistines


----------



## Manter (Sep 28, 2015)

I hate the Walkietalkie too


----------



## teuchter (Sep 28, 2015)

Well, I hate the walkie talkie too, because its a crass and lumpen monstrosity. The shard isn't though.


----------



## laptop (Sep 28, 2015)

I hate the Shard for one reason: its capitalist psychogeographic dominance over the city.

I cannot think of a single reason not to hate the walkie-talkie. I even hate typing its name. 

Well one: it melted an expensive car. But that's also an outcome of massive engineering stupidity, which is another reason to hate it.


----------



## teuchter (Sep 28, 2015)

laptop said:


> I hate the Shard for one reason: its capitalist psychogeographic dominance over the city.



It's a manifestation of what the city London is. In that way it works for me, psychogeographically. The alternative is to live in some kind of denial.


----------



## Manter (Sep 28, 2015)

teuchter said:


> It's a manifestation of what the city London is. In that way it works for me, psychogeographically. The alternative is to live in some kind of denial.


That's an interesting point. Hadn't thought of it like that.


----------



## T & P (Sep 28, 2015)

Architecturally speaking I don't have much of a problem with it. At least it's unconventional. It also reminds me of Eve off Wall-e.


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2015)

The Shard is a great landmark.
The Walkie Talkie is an abomination.
The Cheesegrater is superb.
The proposed 22 Bishopsgate is bland.

No sign of Eric Parry's proposal for 1 Undershaft yet (next door to cheesegrater), but that is tipped to be right at the aviation limit of 309m above sea level. ALL his buildings look like this, so I'm not expecting greatness.


----------



## Chilli.s (Sep 29, 2015)

The Shard. Always looks like they couldn't afford to finish the top of it.

...Like a Greek hotel.


----------



## Pickman's model (Sep 29, 2015)

Chilli.s said:


> The Shard. Always looks like they couldn't afford to finish the top of it.
> 
> ...Like a Greek hotel.


having stayed in a greek hotel recently i can assure you some of them are complete.


----------



## Crispy (Sep 29, 2015)

Chilli.s said:


> ...Like a Greek hotel.


Property tax not payable until construction is complete, so "construction" can take a long long time


----------



## teuchter (Nov 30, 2016)

In this morning's freezing smog.


----------



## T & P (Dec 2, 2016)

I've always found its apparent size puzzling. While you can really appreciate how bloody tall it is from outer London (Norwood/ Crystal Palace for instance), to me it's never looked particularly impressive, let alone the tallest building in Europe, when viewed within central London. In fact the closest you are to it the more underwhelming it feels. Perhaps its pyramidal shape is to blame.


----------



## Badgers (Apr 13, 2019)

My company moved in there a while back. So I am now a Shard person 

To be honest after a few days it is just another office. All I see is the reception, lift and my office/desk every day. Am on the 25th floor (managed by The Office Group) and the views are nice. The building is still new and fairly slick, but not as flashy inside as expected. 

There are a few perks...

Free breakfast pastries in the morning. Posh coffee, fruit and sweet bowls (including Blackjacks) all day. Cakes and occasionally champagne in the afternoons. Loads of free magazines and discounts in the local shops/food shacks. 

People who want a meeting always want to come to the Shard so I can be more lazy. Also it is literally part of London Bridge Station which my train is direct to from home. 

As mentioned the view is decent and the lifts are pretty good. There are some interesting companies/people working there. 

I have never been above the 25th floor or anywhere.


----------



## IC3D (Apr 13, 2019)

Ive had a pee about 10 floors above you looking out over then men's urinal in the cocktail bar loos


----------



## Sea Star (Apr 13, 2019)

I was briefly on the 9th floor in a building at IQL in Stratford - but as from last week I'm back on the first floor. At least that means i can stop using the awful lifts now.


----------



## 19sixtysix (Apr 13, 2019)

Time to take the stairs and get fit Badgers


----------



## hash tag (Jul 8, 2019)

Why pay £20+ to visit the Shard when you can climb it Daredevil scales 95-storey Shard, London's tallest skyscraper


----------



## Pickman's model (Jul 8, 2019)

Badgers said:


> My company moved in there a while back. So I am now a Shard person
> 
> To be honest after a few days it is just another office. All I see is the reception, lift and my office/desk every day. Am on the 25th floor (managed by The Office Group) and the views are nice. The building is still new and fairly slick, but not as flashy inside as expected.
> 
> ...


are they still arsy about you not joining your colleagues for breakfast?


----------



## Pickman's model (Jul 8, 2019)

19sixtysix said:


> Time to take the stairs and get fit Badgers


kill or cure


----------



## cupid_stunt (Jul 8, 2019)

hash tag said:


> Why pay £20+ to visit the Shard when you can climb it Daredevil scales 95-storey Shard, London's tallest skyscraper



Fucking nutter!


----------



## skyscraper101 (Jul 8, 2019)

> "He ran over London Bridge Station, got a boost from someone and did a pull up onto it. He used a few suction cups at the start of it but was then climbing free solo."



He's climbing without suction cups. WTAF.


----------



## T & P (Mar 14, 2021)

Just a bump to share some musings on the perceived height of the Shard. I drove towards London Bridge from Elephant & Castle today and remarked to myself, not for the first time, how it really doesn’t look that tall from about half a mile away. Hard to imagine that it’s the tallest building in London, let alone in Europe, when you look at it from outside Borough Tube station. Yet from Brixton it looks gigantic.


----------



## blossie33 (Mar 14, 2021)

T & P said:


> Just a bump to share some musings on the perceived height of the Shard. I drove towards London Bridge from Elephant & Castle today and remarked to myself, not for the first time, how it really doesn’t look that tall from about half a mile away. Hard to imagine that it’s the tallest building in London, let alone in Europe, when you look at it from outside Borough Tube station. Yet from Brixton it looks gigantic.



Totally agree with you there, when you are around the London Bridge area and look up it seems smaller than when you look towards it from about 5 miles away in Hackney


----------



## editor (Jul 28, 2021)

Took another trip up recently and note that the viewing platform now has the essential cocktail bar on board








In photos: stunning views of London from the top of The Shard


----------



## T & P (Jul 28, 2021)

I just went to check their prices. So the ''premium'' access for a cool £33 gets you among other things the right to buy a glass of champagne for £12.50   

I swear that if someone tried to pull up shit like this in most other countries in Europe, they would torch the building and hang the cunts responsible for such prices from the nearest lamppost.


----------



## Pickman's model (Jul 28, 2021)

T & P said:


> I just went to check their prices. So the ''premium'' access for a cool £33 gets you among other things the right to buy a glass of champagne for £12.50
> 
> I swear that if someone tried to pull up shit like this in most other countries in Europe, they would torch the building and hang the cunts responsible for such prices from the nearest lamppost.


With the shard you could just chuck them off the top


----------



## Pickman's model (Jul 28, 2021)

editor said:


> Took another trip up recently and note that the viewing platform now has the essential cocktail bar on board
> 
> View attachment 280887
> 
> ...


Did you have long island iced tea?


----------



## teuchter (Jul 28, 2021)

Looks like the standard Shard ticket is £25.

The Eiffel tower is €26.

Haven't noticed the French torching the Eifell tower.


----------



## editor (Jul 28, 2021)

T & P said:


> I just went to check their prices. So the ''premium'' access for a cool £33 gets you among other things the right to buy a glass of champagne for £12.50
> 
> I swear that if someone tried to pull up shit like this in most other countries in Europe, they would torch the building and hang the cunts responsible for such prices from the nearest lamppost.


They often advertise special deals. A friend really wanted to go and I think I got two tickets for something like £20 - I can't remember exactly because they were bought pre-pandemic so we had to wait a long time to redeem them!


----------



## Gromit (Jul 28, 2021)

T & P said:


> I just went to check their prices. So the ''premium'' access for a cool £33 gets you among other things the right to buy a glass of champagne for £12.50
> 
> I swear that if someone tried to pull up shit like this in most other countries in Europe, they would torch the building and hang the cunts responsible for such prices from the nearest lamppost.


Other countries don't oversubscribe the number of Skyscrapers they build so that they are rented close to capacity and make money. The viewing galleries are icing on the cake and prestige creators to help sell lots.

I don't think The Shard has ever made a profit and so the viewing gallery has to squeeze every red cent it can.


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## T & P (Jul 28, 2021)

editor said:


> They often advertise special deals. A friend really wanted to go and I think I got two tickets for something like £20 - I can't remember exactly because they were bought pre-pandemic so we had to wait a long time to redeem them!


I didn't know they did those. Although I loathe the idea of paying to go up observation decks, £20 for two tickets is far more palatable than £50, not to mention £66...


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## pbsmooth (Jul 28, 2021)

you don't need a ticket to go up, you can just go up to one of the bars/restaurants and have a drink. or if you really want, change your mind and come back down once you've had a look.


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## hash tag (Jul 28, 2021)

T & P said:


> I just went to check their prices. So the ''premium'' access for a cool £33 gets you among other things the right to buy a glass of champagne for £12.50
> 
> I swear that if someone tried to pull up shit like this in most other countries in Europe, they would torch the building and hang the cunts responsible for such prices from the nearest lamppost.


A price to pay for having access to such a wonderful building. You should check London Open House; release dates and booking normally starts in August for one weekend towards end of August early September. Access if you can get it, is free to many buildings.


Pickman's model said:


> With the shard you could just chuck them off the top


Bit difficult from the top of the Shard. The opening at the top of the glass is at least 10 foot from the floor.

The experience for want of a better word, is much better at the top of the Walkie Talkie and better views.
The very best views are from the top of the Post Office Tower; if you can ever find it's open


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## Gromit (Jul 28, 2021)

hash tag said:


> A price to pay for having access to such a wonderful building. You should check London Open House; release dates and booking normally starts in August for one weekend towards end of August early September. Access if you can get it, is free to many buildings.
> 
> Bit difficult from the top of the Shard. The opening at the top of the glass is at least 10 foot from the floor.
> 
> ...


They always open when I'm working


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## hash tag (Jul 28, 2021)

Normally me to, but hey.


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## Spymaster (Jul 28, 2021)

crojoe said:


> you don't need a ticket to go up, you can just go up to one of the bars/restaurants and have a drink. or if you really want, change your mind and come back down once you've had a look.



This^.

The access charge is for tourists and idiots.


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## Maggot (Jul 28, 2021)

crojoe said:


> you don't need a ticket to go up, you can just go up to one of the bars/restaurants and have a drink. or if you really want, change your mind and come back down once you've had a look.





Spymaster said:


> This^.
> 
> The access charge is for tourists and idiots.


They aren't at the top though. The highest bar (AFAIK) is about 2/3 of the way up and has a minimum spend of £30 per person.


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## editor (Jul 28, 2021)

Maggot said:


> They aren't at the top though. The highest bar (AFAIK) is about 2/3 of the way up and has a minimum spend of £30 per person.



I visited 8 years ago



> Last week I took another trip up the Shard skyscraper in London Bridge, this time courtesy of a tech press launch I was invited to.
> 
> The launch took place in the ultra-plush environs of the Shangri-La Hotel, which occupies floors 34 to 52 of the tallest building in the European Union.















						Views from The Shard skyscraper: Shangri-la hotel, London landscapes and a high tech toilet
					

Last week I took another trip up the Shard skyscraper in London Bridge, this time courtesy of a tech press launch I was invited to. The launch took place in the ultra-plush environs of the Shangri-…




					www.urban75.org


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## T & P (Jul 28, 2021)

The thing is, for me at least, that really high views of a place start to lose their magic in direct proportion to how high you get.

I’ve been lucky enough to see New York from a helicopter ride, as well as from the Empire State Building observation deck, and about the 30th floor of an ideally located hotel. The helicopter experience was fantastic because, well, helicopter ride, but as far as the view itself was concerned, my relatively lowly hotel view was actually more exhilarating than anything else. I suspect some of those who have been to both observation levels at the Eiffel Tower might know what I mean. 

I haven’t been to the Shard yet, but the Walkie Talkie’s deck, whilst not particularly impressive in the height department, offers the perfect balance of altitude and closeness imo. And that’s before we consider the cost of accessing either one…


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## hash tag (Jul 29, 2021)

Exactlty why I would go for the Walkie Talkie over the Shard and it's free!
Look straigt down from the Shard to the railway lines and it looks like an N gauge model railway in minature.


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