Would you like a side of ham with that gherkin? With the addition of Foggo Associates new “Can of Ham” office tower, describing London’s skyline is beginning to become more akin to reading from the shelves of your local grocery store.
Taking its nickname from its unique arched shape, 70 St. Mary Axe is a 446,863-sf, 21-story office tower that is the newest addition to a cluster of towers in the City of London. The building’s scheme provides efficient, flexible office space organized around a central core. Retail accommodation and public realm enhancements are incorporated at the ground level.
A double-height reception area with a front desk created as a one-off art installation, welcomes visitors into the building. 70 St. Mary Axe was created with movable walls for maximum flexibility. The 70 SMA app can be used to order food from the various coffee shops and cafes, book time in the building’s fitness amenities, hire the building’s bikes, or book meeting rooms and event spaces. Lounge spaces on the mezzanine level and the second floor are available to tenants with no booking required. Additionally, 70 St. Mary Axe has 328 cycle spaces on site and has achieved CS Platinum, the highest level of cycling score certification.
The distinctive height and form of the building were designed in response to strategic local views. Solar heat gains to the office space are reduced thanks to vertical shading fins on the curved facades and glazed double wall cladding on the end elevations. Borehole thermal energy storage and energy piles are also included to help the building achieve low carbon emissions.
Unfortunately for the Can of Ham and its new neighbors the Gherkin and the Cheese Grater, the Tulip will not be joining them as part of London’s colorfully-named skyline.
Related Stories
| Feb 1, 2012
ULI and Greenprint Foundation create ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance
Member-to-member information exchange measures energy use, carbon footprint of commercial portfolios.
| Jan 31, 2012
Chapman Construction/Design: ‘Sustainability is part of everything we do’
Chapman Construction/Design builds a working culture around sustainability—for its clients, and for its employees.
| Jan 26, 2012
Three dead, 16 missing in Rio buildings collapse
The buildings, one 20 floors high, collapsed on Wednesday night in a cloud of dust and smoke just one block away from the city's historic Municipal Theater.
| Jan 26, 2012
Summit Design+Build completes law office in Chicago
Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen's new office suite features private offices, open office area, conference rooms, reception area, exposed wood beams and columns, and exposed brick.
| Jan 17, 2012
SOM Chicago wins competition to design China's Suzhou Center
The 75-level building is designed to accommodate a complex mixed-use program including office, service apartments, hotel and retail on a 37,000 sm site.
| Jan 15, 2012
Hollister Construction Services oversees interior office fit-out for Harding Loevner
The work includes constructing open space areas, new conference, trading and training rooms, along with multiple kitchenettes.
| Jan 15, 2012
Smith Consulting Architects designs Flower Hill Promenade expansion in Del Mar, Calif.
The $22 million expansion includes a 75,000-square-foot, two-story retail/office building and a 397-car parking structure, along with parking and circulation improvements and new landscaping throughout.
| Jan 12, 2012
CSHQA receives AIA Northwest & Pacific Region Merit Award for Idaho State Capitol restoration
After a century of service, use, and countless modifications which eroded the historical character of the building and grounds, the restoration brought the 200,000-sf building back to its former grandeur by restoring historical elements, preserving existing materials, and rehabilitating spaces for contemporary uses.
| Jan 4, 2012
New LEED Silver complex provides space for education and research
The academic-style facility supports education/training and research functions, and contains classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, administrative offices and library facilities, as well as spaces for operating highly sophisticated training equipment.
| Jan 3, 2012
VDK Architects merges with Harley Ellis Devereaux
Harley Ellis Devereaux will relocate the employees in its current Berkeley, Calif., office to the new Oakland office location effective January 3, 2012.