British Land and Oxford Properties have unveiled a new public space at the base of The Leadenhall Building following the completion of construction work.
Spanning over half an acre, it is the largest area of publicly accessible space created in the City of London for a decade.
To celebrate the opening of the public space, the developers have commissioned an exhibition in collaboration with New London Architecture which chronicles the construction of The Leadenhall Building. Free to access and open until spring 2015, visitors can discover the vision behind the building and the cutting-edge construction techniques of London’s latest landmark. The exhibition is open in the Leadenhall Building public space from today.
The building, designed by Graham Stirk of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, provides the highest office space in the City of London and has earned the nickname ‘The Cheesegrater’ on account of its distinctive tapered profile, designed to protect backdrop views of St Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street.
It is equally recognisable at street level, with the building sitting atop sixteen inclined columns and braces creating a vast area of open space which reaches 28 metres in height. This area runs underneath the building and will open a new walking route from Bishopsgate through to Leadenhall Street which will be used by thousands of people every day.
Protected from the elements by four glass windbreakers, the area will serve as a new meeting point in the heart of the City, featuring tended lawns and trees, and a hard landscaped area that will play host to a range of events and activities, including the exhibition on the construction of the
The space will ultimately be integrated with the adjacent St Helen’s Square in 2015, creating a 2,000 sq ft park-like area, offering City workers a green oasis in the heart of the Square Mile.
Graham Stirk, Partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, said: “Building tall has allowed us to create a great public space at street level that will complement the adjacent St Helen’s Square. This new sun-lit seven-storey high space is a fantastic contribution to one of the most active and densely developed parts of the City of London.”
Source: British Land