The new kid on the block is making the Gherkin look like the smallest pickle in the jar. Plans were revealed yesterday for 1 Undershaft: set to be the tallest building in the City of London, it will rise 306.6m high into the sky, levelling with the Shard at the maximum height allowed.
According to the architect Eric Parry, 1 Undershaft represents the “last piece in the jigsaw” and its minimalist design – a square footprint that projects upward 73 storeys – represents a startlingly refreshing change from the diverse shapes that make up the London skyline. Although it may seem simple, its silhouette is subtly tapered, so the sides of building converge at an imaginary focal point, 10 times its height. In this way, it basically appears a helluva lot bigger than it actually is… Boys, take note.
Reportedly, the matte steel will absorb light, while the white gloss will glimmer in the sunshine all the way up to the top, where colour-changing paint will be used at the upper levels to create a rainbow effect. At the top of the tower there will also be a fine-dining restaurant (obvs) and above that, a two-storey viewing gallery, promised to be open to all for free. A breath of fresh air when compared to the Shard’s £25 viewing deck or the Walkie-Talkie’s corporate ‘Sky Garden‘…
1 Undershaft definitely proves that less is totally more. Big thumbs up from us.
Like this? There have been a lot of whacky skyscraper suggestions in the past year…