The Shard of Glass, EU's tallest skyscraper, is completed

Batsy

The final piece of the EU's tallest skyscraper was finally lifted into place yesterday.

The Shard of Glass, on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, south London, now stands at its full height of 1,017 feet after the topmost part of the imposing skyscraper - a steel spire weighing about 500 tonnes which was manufactured in Yorkshire, dismantled, transported to London, and then re-assembled again - was placed at the top of the building.

Not only is is the tallest building in the EU but it is the tallest inhabited building in the whole of Europe.

The spire needed the UK's largest crane to lift it in place.

The building - officially called Shard London Bridge - will offer uninterrupted 360-degree views of the capital, stretching for 40 miles in every direction, and will open in June.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the view from an observatory that will be 72 floors up.

The Shard is just one of TWELVE skyscrapers currently under construction in London, including the Bishopsgate Tower in the City which, when completed in 2013, will be the second-tallest skyscraper in the EU at 945 feet.

Another 45 buildings over 325 feet have also been approved in London.

The previous tallest building in the EU was the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt, which opened in 2011 and reaches 850 feet.

Read more and see pics: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123112/Now-Shard-Highest-point-Europes-tallest-building-lifted-place-reaching-310-metres-sky.html#ixzz1qnpMn2I1

The King of Moo

To be closely followed by the Upturned Plug and Big Lego Piece buildings.

ejmaztec

Financed by Gulf oil-sheikhs.

My name is URL

It reminds me of the Ryugyong Hotel

ejmaztec

The King of Moo wrote: »

To be closely followed by the Upturned Plug and Big Lego Piece buildings.

I wonder whatever happened to the Crock of Sh1t?

Sisko

Looks cool imo.

Doc Ruby

Yeah I'm not normally a fan of glass and steel monstrosities but that's nice, it has a very futuristic feel to it.

hadepsx

down with this sort of thing.

carefull now. (its sharp)

youreadthis

I can't wait to go on the observation floor! The London eye's view of the city kind of sucks...

But this and the Swiss Re are good modern symbols for London.

Shame about the hospital near it though!

karma_

If you're going to the expense of building the highest building in London, why not build something that doesn't look shít?

kincsem

My first impression was - eyesore.

Mickey Dazzler

Bleedin state of it.

http://www.ameinfo.com/56699.html

It is a well established law of the economic jungle that the construction of the world's tallest building is a sign that a boom is nearing or past its top. The Burj Dubai starts to rise from April 15, so is this the beginning of the end for the Dubai construction boom?

Nothing lasts forever. Every major city in the world has seen building booms come and go. Dubai will not be an exception. But don't expect anything to happen in a hurry.

The Burj Dubai - set to be the world's tallest man-made structure - will take several years to complete. Yet on past precedent there are at least a few years before anyone need begin to worry about Dubai.

Just imagine squatting on the top floor!

Fart

Should be called "The Shart of Glass"... because it looks sh!t... and painful to look at.

BeerWolf

Damn, to be the crane operator... I'd crap meself from fear of that height!

oppenheimer1

I didn't realise we had so many architecture experts in AH.

The tower hasn't been completed, its just been topped out.

Discodog

I kind of see a strange similarity between the girders on the top & the images after 9/11.

Personally I like London's tall buildings & the way that each one is different. The Nat West tower is ugly & Canary Wharf is not much better but I like the Shard & the Gherkin.

karma_

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I didn't realise we had so many architecture experts in AH.

The tower hasn't been completed, its just been topped out.

I don't think anyone needs to be an architect to be able to appreciate the aesthetic value in something.

Tesco Massacre

One hell of an erection.

OfflerCrocGod

It doesn't really look that tall, they were pretty quick putting it up though, almost every week it was going up a noticeable amount.

Marcusm

The Daily Mail is so crap; Europe's tallest inhabited building doesn't have a single inhabitant as it's only been topped out, there are gaps in the skin all the way up the building and the internal fit out hasn't started yet. It's not that great a piece of architecture (IMO) particularly since the addition of what's locally referred to as the backpack on its rear ed (basically a cube on the side of what is otherwise a stretched pyramid).

All that said, it's a vast improvement on what was there before - I should know I worked in the prior building or 5-6 years. I still live in he area and hope the construction ends soon. A number of cyclists (including a promising medical student) have died under the wheels of monster dump trucks thundering down tiny local streets and lanes.

The building itself will have lots of offices, Europe's first Shangri-La hotel and 10 apartments, the cheapest of which will cost £24m!!!! Sean Dunne could only have dreamed if such an edifice in Ballsbridge.

Logical Fallacy

London used to have nice character, now it looks like the architectural equivalent of a United Colors of Benetton ad.

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I didn't realise we had so many architecture experts in AH.

The tower hasn't been completed, its just been topped out.

I'm more of a building services guy.

Hope they have their heating and cooling sorted with all that glass.

paddy147

Batsy wrote: »

The final piece of the EU's tallest skyscraper was finally lifted into place yesterday.

The Shard of Glass, on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, south London, now stands at its full height of 1,017 feet after the topmost part of the imposing skyscraper - a steel spire weighing about 500 tonnes which was manufactured in Yorkshire, dismantled, transported to London, and then re-assembled again - was placed at the top of the building.

Not only is is the tallest building in the EU but it is the tallest inhabited building in the whole of Europe.

The spire needed the UK's largest crane to lift it in place.

The building - officially called Shard London Bridge - will offer uninterrupted 360-degree views of the capital, stretching for 40 miles in every direction, and will open in June.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the view from an observatory that will be 72 floors up.

The Shard is just one of TWELVE skyscrapers currently under construction in London, including the Bishopsgate Tower in the City which, when completed in 2013, will be the second-tallest skyscraper in the EU at 945 feet.

Another 45 buildings over 325 feet have also been approved in London.

The previous tallest building in the EU was the Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt, which opened in 2011 and reaches 850 feet.

Read more and see pics: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2123112/Now-Shard-Highest-point-Europes-tallest-building-lifted-place-reaching-310-metres-sky.html#ixzz1qnpMn2I1

I knew it all along,the 100 euro household charge isnt for local services.:rolleyes::D

Discodog

Apparently it was financed under Sharia rules & this restricts what type of business can be based in the building.

Fart

Discodog wrote: »

Apparently it was financed under Sharia rules & this restricts what type of business can be based in the building.

So it's not going to be a brewery/distillery or a bacon factory I take it?