London already has an Eye, a Gherkin, and a Cheese Grater. Now, the City of London has approved plans for The Tulip.
Designed by Foster + Partners (designers of the Gherkin), the Tulip will rise 1,001 feet in the air and be a new cultural and tourist attraction meant to build public engagement within the City and enhance The Gherkin’s public offering.
Viewing galleries at the top of the Tulip will include sky bridges, internal glass slides, and gondola pod rides (think the gyrospheres from the Jurassic World movies) on the building’s façade. Interactive materials and expert guides will enhance the experience for visitors and provide information about the history of London.
See Also: SOM-designed 100 Leadenhall Street will be one of the tallest buildings in the U.K.
A sky bar and restaurants with 360-degree views will give visitors a place to eat and drink high above the city. Another key feature at the top of the Tulip will be an education facility that offers 20,000 free places per year for London’s state school children.
At the ground level, there will be a pocket park alongside a two-story pavilion with a publicly accessible rooftop garden. Half of the perimeter walls around the already completed Gherkin will be removed to improve public access to the revamped site.
Construction is expected to begin in 2020 with completion in 2025.
Update
It seems as though the tulip will not bloom after all. According to the BBC.com, London's Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has rejected plans for the new tower. According to the BBC, the reasons behind the rejection were as follows:
– The design did not constitute the very highest quality of design required for a building in the location
– The proximity, height and material would have a negative impact on the Tower of London World Heritage site
– The space around the proposed building was insufficient to be safe and to prevent overcrowding
– A lack of new cycle parking spaces failed to comply with the London Plan for transport
The Foster + Partners team described themselves as "disappointed" by the Mayor's decision and will "take time to consider potential next steps for The Tulip Project."
DBOX for Foster + Partners
DBOX for Foster + Partners
DBOX for Foster + Partners
DBOX for Foster + Partners
DBOX for Foster + Partners
Related Stories
| Dec 17, 2014
11 predictions for high-rise construction in 2015
In its annual forecast, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat predicts that 2015 will be the "Year of the Woodscraper," and that New York’s troubled B2 modular high-rise project will get back on track.
| Dec 16, 2014
'Wedding dress' tower to be tallest in Africa
The $1 billion tower will have 114 stories, alluding to the 114 chapters of the Koran.
| Dec 16, 2014
Architect Eli Attia sues Google over tall building technology
Attia and tech company Max Sound Corp. have brought a lawsuit against Google because of Flux, a Google X-developed startup launched in 2014. Flux creates software to design environmentally-friendly buildings in a cost-effective way.
| Dec 12, 2014
SOM names winner of One World Trade Center photo contest
Gerry Padden's winning photo offers a striking juxtaposition of the Brooklyn Bridge with the sparkling One World Trade Center tower.
| Dec 4, 2014
10 tallest buildings to be completed in 2015
This year has seen the completion of many signature tall buildings, including the One World Trade Center. CNN reports that 2015 promises to be another busy year for skyscraper construction across the globe.
High-rise Construction | Dec 1, 2014
ThyssenKrupp develops world’s first rope-free elevator system
ThyssenKrupp's latest offering, named MULTI, will allow several cabins in the same shaft to move vertically and horizontally.
| Nov 29, 2014
20 tallest towers that were never completed
Remember the Chicago Spire? What about Russia Tower? These are two of the tallest building projects that were started, but never completed, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The CTBUH Research team offers a roundup of the top 20 stalled skyscrapers across the globe.
| Nov 24, 2014
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill-designed crystalline tower breaks ground in southwestern China
Fitted with an LED façade, the 468-meter Greenland Tower Chengdu will act as a light sculpture for the city of Chengdu.
| Nov 24, 2014
OMA morphs Miami condo tower development plan
Initially, the design included six slim towers to be set on the Miami shoreline, but the cylinders have been nudged into pairs to form three larger towers.
| Nov 11, 2014
Renzo Piano's third building at London Bridge Quarter approved, will be built adjacent to the Shard
Renzo Piano Building Workshop has been granted planning approval for its residential building at London Bridge Quarter—a 26-story apartment tower dubbed Feilden House.