Do you not think it works better in isolation, or do you mean that you would prefer it if it were still separate to the cluster but closer, like St Pauls?

Personally, I like the Shard where it is. I think it acts as a nice counterpoint to the City cluster sitting opposite and somehow makes Bankside feel like a part of the city centre proper.

I totally agree with you. The London Bridge, Southwark Cathedral & Bankside areas all suddenly seem connected to the rest of the city. Many of my friends who work in that area are of the same opinion.

Probably about 35 - 45 % beastern european workers on site.

They (as far as I am concerned are great people with a great working ethos.

double post delete

Probably about 35 - 45 % beastern european workers on site.

They (as far as I am concerned are great people with a great working ethos.

thanks for that info mate.
and yes i would second that.
Cant understand why folk got so upset about the question b4.
:cheers:

Probably about 35 - 45 % beastern european workers on site.

They (as far as I am concerned are great people with a great working ethos.

The Polish guys are fine, the women however, another story, but wrong site for that discussion :lol::lol::ohno::wallbash:

they got polish women building the shard too then?
blimey

and btw chest
brilliant pano
cheers

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/madmax123/27102010134.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/madmax123/27102010132.jpg

The Polish guys are fine, the women however, another story, but wrong site for that discussion :lol::lol::ohno::wallbash:

Why? Have they embarressed you or something?!
My wife is fully polish, the problem is is she makes me look like a little pip squeak, i dare not wrestle with her as she has the strenght of an ox! Dont get me wrong she is super beautiful and her slimness is deceptive but she can punch for poland!
She is one of the hardest workers I know and has a great reputation with all who know her....long live the polish woman.

She once got stuck into mixing up a ton of concrete for me on a job in the middle of summer and she barely broke a sweat!!

Anyway I dont know where all this came from...back to the shard!

Why? Have they embarressed you or something?!
My wife is fully polish, the problem is is she makes me look like a little pip squeak, i dare not wrestle with her as she has the strenght of an ox! Dont get me wrong she is super beautiful and her slimness is deceptive but she can punch for poland!
She is one of the hardest workers I know and has a great reputation with all who know her....long live the polish woman.

She once got stuck into mixing up a ton of concrete for me on a job in the middle of summer and she barely broke a sweat!!

Anyway I dont know where all this came from...back to the shard!

haha nice, well I just had a bad experience with one as a girlfriend, who got me thrown out of her flat by her next boyfriend, and then completely stopped talking. I had another as a friend last year who was confusing, and again completely stopped talking. Quite cold and hard to talk to. Maybe it's just a coincidence or maybe it's just women?. :lol: I do have one as a good friend now though i have to add.

I really like the Shard but I wish it was closer to the cluster.

Also don't you just hate the way it looms over the Thames ;)

Speaking as someone who is 60+ and therefore well within your definition of the older generation, I can tell you that you have no idea what you are talking about. If I were to generalise about the younger generation(<30) in that way you would be rightly irritated, so please don't do it to people who happen to belong to my age-group. We are, astonishing though it may seem, not all of the opinion that London should be some kind of museum and there are just as many viewpoints regarding its cultural and physical renewal as in any other part of the population, including the one that welcomes the exciting new developments in architecture typified by The Shard, the Pinnacle, etc. Yes, I am disturbed by the mistakes of the 60's and 70's because I saw them happen and know what the cost was to Londoners, but that does not blind me (or my generation) to the possibility of great new architecture arising, which I feel privileged to witness. So, no more stereotyping please!

:applause::applause::applause: Eloquently put.

Thanks for the new desktop background Chest!

south east London is probably the best place to get good London skyline shots :)As you drive down Archway Road in Highgate you get some fantastic views of London's skyline too (the bridge that crosses it is a great viewpoint). I'm always stunned everytime I drive down that road towards town. :)

Also, I can just about make it out now from my balcony at our flat in Barnet.

That is an excellent panoramic shot chest

I am almost reluctant to post an amateurish 2mp snap with all the photographers brilliant work on here but I'll do it anyway.

http://i52.************/2a5bq5l.jpg

it appears that teemac is older than I and hugh.
what the hell is going on?
Not good , i wanna be the old misery

someone mnetioned an oct t/o for the core being missed.
whens that t/o now ?
d

‘Good bye slip form’. They’ve started dismantling the first core box.

http://i54.************/ngo6bn.jpg

^^ Yippee! :banana:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/madmax123/27102010134.jpg


Like this photo - great angle and it's got that old type soft focus look.

Are the red casings/machines for the shades system going to remain red?

http://i54.************/ngo6bn.jpg

well spotted - i remember thinking it would make more sense to take it down now...
1. safer - if something fell then it's not from a great height - and when they're going to be working at that level.
2. free advertising!

^^ And they're not tieing up a tower crane (if you see what I mean!)

I have a question which I hoped someone expert here might be able to answer. I'm trying to find out what make and model the crane on the very top of the Shard is - does anyone know?

Sorry my quotes have gone awry - I tried to quote the pics below (from earlier in the thread) that show this crane, but failed....

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/P1010590.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/5111207883_4e44f5dbf5_b.jpg

Thank you!

I have a question which I hoped someone expert here might be able to answer. I'm trying to find out what make and model the crane on the very top of the Shard is - does anyone know?

Sorry my quotes have gone awry - I tried to quote the pics below (from earlier in the thread) that show this crane, but failed....

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/5111207883_4e44f5dbf5_b.jpg

Thank you!

Anyone know why they specifically thought it was important to write on 191 on the side (presumably metres high). Is there some other building that's 191m tall in London that they were happy to pass?

I have a question which I hoped someone expert here might be able to answer. I'm trying to find out what make and model the crane on the very top of the Shard is - does anyone know?
Thank you!

Crane is a Terex Comedil CT260-18.

You've got to be joking. The evidence is stronger than ever....
I think its a complete farsical money making exercise.The Suns output alters over time,periodical fluxes.Carbon levels are known to fluctuate over thousands of years independent of human activity.

Anyway,Shard has now passed 200 metres.Perhaps now second tallest in London.

such a strong opinon on such an immense subject for someone in Year 8/9/10

I recommend you read the book "The Weather Makers: Our Changing Climate and what it means for Life on Earth" by Tim Flannary

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0141026278/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0713999217&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0YG6H1D7TNG1639XB4MX

such a strong opinon on such an immense subject for someone in Year 8/9/10

I recommend you read the book "The Weather Makers: Our Changing Climate and what it means for Life on Earth" by Tim Flannary

Excuse me,but it's my opinion based on what i have learnt about the subject-and the greedy corrupt machinations of human beings in power..Now,if this differs from your opinion,must you assume i am reading the wrong books etc ? Back to LBT

A huge factor in all of this is absorption of CO2 and other gases by the oceans which we know very little about. "Green" people often ignore this.

[QUOTE=dreadathecontrols;66174803]it appears that teemac is older than I and hugh.
what the hell is going on?
Not good , i wanna be the old misery

Well, you can't be, I'm very old and very miserable, so it has to be me!

(double post)

anyyywaaaay there is an amazing view of the shard from the serpentine gallery in Kensington gardens...stands right behind the London eye looks huge
had no camera though :(

From Sheffield but visited London today and took these - although you've probably seen these views many times. I've been wanting to see The Shard in real life for ages and couldn't wait to get back up North and post these...

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/IMG_9553_.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/IMG_9546_.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/IMG_9542_.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/IMG_9543_.jpg

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/IMG_9536_.jpg

They marked 200m look closely on PaulP's last photo. :banana::banana:

From Sheffield but visited London today and took these - although you've probably seen these views many times. I've been wanting to see The Shard in real life for ages and couldn't wait to get back up North and post these...


Thanks for sharing them with us Paul.

Did you find that other people's pictures pictures fail to convey they size of the Shard no matter how well taken then are?

very nice pics, cladding is shooting up as usual

Thanks for sharing them with us Paul.

Did you find that other people's pictures pictures fail to convey they size of the Shard no matter how well taken then are?

I did find that - very much so. I saw the Shard from Greenwich in June but today was very much different. I was surprised at it's 'mass'. I was expecting the height, but not so much it's width and dominance. Very impressive. (We don't quite have this sort of thing in Sheffield, 101m is our highest)

I resized the pictures down to around 1200x800, but I can post links to higher res versions, if anyone's interested (?).

Great set there Paul :). You could enlarge and crop the top of the core, where they have marked off 200m!!

:-)..as i said,200 metre passed,and not only that.By the looks of it,equal 2nd tallest in London..202 metres.And isn't it great,that they're marking it just for us

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9536_200m.jpg

If I'd have seen the 200m marking while taking it, I would have stuck my longer lens on. Oh well.

High resolution versions of the others: 1 (http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9536.jpg), 2 (http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9553.jpg), 3 (http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9546.jpg), 4 (http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9543.jpg), 5 (http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9541.jpg)

Cheers!

[QUOTE=dreadathecontrols;66174803]it appears that teemac is older than I and hugh.
what the hell is going on?
Not good , i wanna be the old misery

Well, you can't be, I'm very old and very miserable, so it has to be me!

Rock on as we used to say (or something like that - can't remember)!

Anyway, if anyone knows can they inform me why one central section of steelwork is missing on one side? What is going there? In PaulP's 2nd and 3rd photos it is just to the left of the central crane and now extends at least 3 floors. Have I missed a post on this?

Thanks for sharing them with us Paul.

Did you find that other people's pictures pictures fail to convey they size of the Shard no matter how well taken then are?

I found that everyone's photos fail to do it justice. It's not until you actually go and see it and find that if you stand close enough to it you can't fit all of it in your field of vision that you realise how much space it occupies.

Like Paul said, when I saw it, it wasn't the height that struck me so much, it was the size of the footprint.

[QUOTE=teemac;66198197]

Rock on as we used to say (or something like that - can't remember)!

?

Rock on Tommy? :dunno:

Anyhoo......57 levels ...more than any UK tower...ever :)

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa188/pparry/2010/_IMG_9536_200m.jpg

Cheers!

Isn't the shell of the old core box slightly on fire? :lol:
If you notice they still have the outside lifts, two of them.

http://_MG_1112.jpg

[QUOTE=teemac;66198197]

Rock on as we used to say (or something like that - can't remember)!

Anyway, if anyone knows can they inform me why one central section of steelwork is missing on one side? What is going there? In PaulP's 2nd and 3rd photos it is just to the left of the central crane and now extends at least 3 floors. Have I missed a post on this?

I was wondering about this too! I am only guessing that this gap is going to be some sort of atrium for the public spaces at this level or something to do with the hotel lobby.

I seem to recall looking at the Renzo Piano website ages ago and seeing a drawing of a huge atrium planted with trees at about this level. However, I don't understand why the steel doesn't reach across the gap to fix the glass cladding on. Hotel reception will be a bit blowy if it's a big hole.:lol:

I was wondering about this too! I am only guessing that this gap is going to be some sort of atrium for the public spaces at this level or something to do with the hotel lobby.

I seem to recall looking at the Renzo Piano website ages ago and seeing a drawing of a huge atrium planted with trees at about this level. However, I don't understand why the steel doesn't reach across the gap to fix the glass cladding on. Hotel reception will be a bit blowy if it's a big hole.:lol:

Hi all. First post here we go... :banana: (been lurking for a long time on this thread!)

My thoughts on this gap were originally something along the lines of an atrium, but it wouldn't work structurally. Think of the RSJ that would be required above that!

I concluded that because they can't erect steel above the set-back until the slip-form box is removed, they've simply sped up the frame/floor-plate work on the three sides on which it sits so that work can commence on dismantling it, freeing the TC on that side to finish off filling in the gap.

anyyywaaaay there is an amazing view of the shard from the serpentine gallery in Kensington gardens...stands right behind the London eye looks huge
had no camera though :(

As I live nearby, I had to check out this view, is it something like the one below which was from just over the road in Hyde Park?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1097/5128249794_f42ca0f312_b.jpg

The void in the north facade must be the sky lobby for the hotel.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1330/5126534958_cbd00d4865_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/heyes/5126534958/)
Shard from the Gherkin (http://www.flickr.com/photos/heyes/5126534958/) by NeilHeyes (http://www.flickr.com/people/heyes/), on Flickr

Hi all. First post here we go... :banana: (been lurking for a long time on this thread!)

My thoughts on this gap were originally something along the lines of an atrium, but it wouldn't work structurally. Think of the RSJ that would be required above that!

I concluded that because they can't erect steel above the set-back until the slip-form box is removed, they've simply sped up the frame/floor-plate work on the three sides on which it sits so that work can commence on dismantling it, freeing the TC on that side to finish off filling in the gap.

Welcome Bertyboy! I understand your points, but I think it must be an atrium. The location of the gap matches the drawings precisely. I was trying to post the link to the drawings, but it wouldn't allow me to do it. If you go to www.rpbw.r.ui-pro.com and click on projects, all projects, UK, London Bridge Tower and view image 9, you will see what I mean!:)

As I live nearby, I had to check out this view, is it something like the one below which was from just over the road in Hyde Park?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1097/5128249794_f42ca0f312_b.jpg

Goes to show what a load of nonsense the new proposed sight-lines are!

It's been a while since I posted any updates so heres some Shard pics at different times of day in different weathers to show how it looks. I made each image a link to the full res version...

20/10/2010 - Morning
http://bnh.i.jpgur.com/lnvsh.jpg?size=3 (http://bnh.i.jpgur.com/lnvsh.jpg)

21/10/2010 - Late evening
http://dqo.i.jpgur.com/tvjuo.jpg?size=3 (http://dqo.i.jpgur.com/tvjuo.jpg)

25/10/2010 - 1pm
http://jks.i.jpgur.com/foqlb.jpg?size=3 (http://jks.i.jpgur.com/foqlb.jpg)

27/10/2010 - Noon
http://onw.i.jpgur.com/ojajc.jpg?size=3 (http://onw.i.jpgur.com/ojajc.jpg)

27/10/2010 - 5pm
http://uhg.i.jpgur.com/huwfz.jpg?size=3 (http://uhg.i.jpgur.com/huwfz.jpg)

Welcome Bertyboy! I understand your points, but I think it must be an atrium. The location of the gap matches the drawings precisely. I was trying to post the link to the drawings, but it wouldn't allow me to do it. If you go to www.rpbw.r.ui-pro.com and click on projects, all projects, UK, London Bridge Tower and view image 9, you will see what I mean!:)

Hmm, I guess it is an atrium then. Thanks for that!
In fact, looking closer at the photos, the outer frame of the steelwork has continued on the lowest two floors, just without the floor joists to the core (or the floor plates). The fact that there is an apparent upright member to continue the load bearing to the upper floors allays my concerns.

I like the night shot. Imagine it with the cladding complete and the lights off - the building will practically disappear! Very much like a shard of glass does in certain lighting conditions.

This is going to be a very interesting and varied building to photograph when it's finished.

^^Nice pics mitosan. They really illustrate how this building is going to continually change character depending on the environment around it! Great stuff.:banana::banana:

Hmm, I guess it is an atrium then. Thanks for that!
In fact, looking closer at the photos, the outer frame of the steelwork has continued on the lowest two floors, just without the floor joists to the core (or the floor plates). The fact that there is an apparent upright member to continue the load bearing to the upper floors allays my concerns.

Yes, good spot! I hadn't seen the outer steelwork before and that was putting doubt into my mind. Even so, that is structually clever as it does appear that there could be a few tonnes of foliage going in there by the look of the diagram.:nuts:

The core box is coming down very fast now

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/9827/hoardings1.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/411/hoardings21.jpg

Goes to show what a load of nonsense the new proposed sight-lines are!

Evidently, whilst it will never be on a similar footing but I've always thought the skyline of New York from the grounds of Central Park looks spectacular, as does the Isle of Dogs from Greenwich Park for that matter.

Deleted

Two-thirds of the way there...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1219/5128579540_dce999f961_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1182/5128914093_9e50d8fbf9_b.jpg

have they started cladding the 'backpack' yet?

have they started cladding the 'backpack' yet?

look at the pic above your post dude that should give you an answer:)

I thought the backpack was the other bit with the core and steelwork :P

Is the Shard now the UK's tallest buidling?

Is the Shard now the UK's tallest buidling?

Nope, One Canada Square is still taller.

Yes, good spot! I hadn't seen the outer steelwork before and that was putting doubt into my mind. Even so, that is structually clever as it does appear that there could be a few tonnes of foliage going in there by the look of the diagram.:nuts:

Thanks guys for answering my earlier question. It will be interesting to see what the glazing is like when it reaches this level.

this is immense I cant believe the UK have finally gotten a 300+metre skyscraper.

Nope, One Canada Square is still taller.

Not long till it is. Should be able to catch the shard tomorrow for some shots got a football game to watch at wembley :cheers:

look at the pic above your post dude that should give you an answer:)

No becuase that doesn't show all the floors now does it. And last backpack photo i saw, there was no glass. But there might be.

Is the Shard now the UK's tallest buidling?

One Canada Square is 235m (not including the 5m Antenna).The new core reconfiguration will grow to a height of 240m. Then one it will be the tallest building in the UK, with 70m to go.

1CS has an antenna?

I thought the backpack was the other bit with the core and steelwork :P

Yes that's correct. No glass cladding on it yet. I suspect the steelwork will nearly reach the core height before they start fixing it on. That's a guess - I could be wrong!

1CS has an antenna?

Not that I noticed! :ohno: It has a pyramid shaped roof!

I wasn’t 100% sure on it. 770 feet (235 m) / 800 feet (240 m)” according to Wikipedia. But SSN states the Roof Height is 245.75 (AOD) No Spire or antenna.

[QUOTE=googledpeakoil;66191229]Anyone know why they specifically thought it was important to write on 191 on the side (presumably metres high). Is there some other building that's 191m tall in London that they were happy to pass?

I have checked and I don't think anyone has responded to this; I wonder if they were celebrating the fact that the Shard passed the BT Tower, which is 191 metres high including antenna.
WHY they should particularly want to mark that particular milestone, however, I do not know.

[QUOTE=googledpeakoil;66191229]Anyone know why they specifically thought it was important to write on 191 on the side (presumably metres high). Is there some other building that's 191m tall in London that they were happy to pass?

I have checked and I don't think anyone has responded to this; I wonder if they were celebrating the fact that the Shard passed the BT Tower, which is 191 metres high including antenna.
WHY they should particularly want to mark that particular milestone, however, I do not know.

For a long time, the BT tower was the tallest structure in London (taller than T42 if you include the antenna), so passing it is a significant milestone.

200 metres, the next line painted on, is the height of HSBC and CityGroup. Passing them makes Shard the 3rd tallest in the UK after 1CS and Heron.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a line for 230 metres, to indicate passing Heron. There may be one at 240 as well - the point that the Shard becomes the UK's tallest building, but I think the top of the core is somewhere around there anyway.

Nope, One Canada Square is still taller.

As is Heron if you include the stick on top :lol:

Is the Shard now the UK's tallest buidling?

Surely even when it is complete, it will not be the UK's tallest building, only the tallest habitable one?
Arqiva could still build a bedroom at the top of Emley Moor tower just to spite the Shard investors! ;)

Surely even when it is complete, it will not be the UK's tallest building, only the tallest habitable one?
Arqiva could still build a bedroom at the top of Emley Moor tower just to spite the Shard investors! ;)

Wouldn't it make it the tallest building, but not the tallest structure? I'm not sure actually, I might just be nit-picking though.

Two-thirds of the way there...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1219/5128579540_dce999f961_b.jpg



Hadn't noticed you before Shardview - silly question considering your username but is this the view from your place? Great angle..

Wouldn't it make it the tallest building, but not the tallest structure? I'm not sure actually, I might just be nit-picking though.

To my mind a "building" is any enclosed, self-supporting structure. Emley Moor contains rooms near the top, but they are neither permanent offices nor habitable space (I'm guessing no water or sewerage services). And, of course, the concrete only goes up to 274m - the remaining 56m is all mast.

Maybe there are official definitions of "building" that I have missed? I'm sure someone here would enlighten me!

Maybe London should have a >330m skyscraper just to remove any ambiguity? ;)

I guess we must be getting close to the concrete floor section?

Some night shots from Saturday 30th October :)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1064/5130922659_4371e58209_b.jpg

From St. Mary at Hill

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5130926789_b87169635a_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1162/5130924747_28b10a2c2a_b.jpg

I guess we must be getting close to the concrete floor section?

Why are they changing to concrete floors?

Why are they changing to concrete floors?

I assume (but I'm probably wrong) that its to do with the building regulations etc for residential space?

I assume (but I'm probably wrong) that its to do with the building regulations etc for residential space?

Would make sense. I assume this will make the residential section a lot slower progress then.

Why are they changing to concrete floors?

Because the top floors are Hotel and residential, They have to be made of concrete, for sound and fire proofing.

Hadn't noticed you before Shardview - silly question considering your username but is this the view from your place? Great angle..

Yes - its the view from every room in the flat! Sometimes its difficult to get out of bed...http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/5131201873_0e71850c09_b.jpg

^^

It's OK to admit you hate this guy......:lol:

Well I think I speak for everyone on here when I say, 'You lucky son of a gun' ;). I would have to buy a telescope if I lived there though.

Just found this video. I’m pretty sure it hasn’t been posted on here before. It’s pretty old, Shows the steel when it was at a low level. http://vimeo.com/13674458

^^

It's OK to admit you hate this guy......:lol:

If only for his socks! :)

Because the top floors are Hotel and residential, They have to be made of concrete, for sound and fire proofing.

I also seem to remember they help with the damping of the structure.

Yes - its the view from every room in the flat! Sometimes its difficult to get out of bed...http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/5131201873_0e71850c09_b.jpg

I honestly wish I hadn't asked now...

Nice one off flickr..

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5129916690_f404597def_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nortyforty/5129916690/)
003 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nortyforty/5129916690/) by Kegalle Queen (http://www.flickr.com/people/nortyforty/), on Flickr

[QUOTE=googledpeakoil;66191229]Anyone know why they specifically thought it was important to write on 191 on the side (presumably metres high). Is there some other building that's 191m tall in London that they were happy to pass?

I have checked and I don't think anyone has responded to this; I wonder if they were celebrating the fact that the Shard passed the BT Tower, which is 191 metres high including antenna.
WHY they should particularly want to mark that particular milestone, however, I do not know.

we are just doing it as a point of interest for the public.

This thread is giving me multiple Shardgasms. Which by the way is my new favourite word

Construction gives UK economic recovery an unstable foundation
George Osborne says the economy is growing strongly, but how much of that is down to a construction rally that is already petering out?

Phillip Inman and Alex Hawkes
The Observer, Sunday 31 October 2010
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2010/10/26/1288122941963/Shard-building-006.jpg
Work continues on the Shard at London Bridge. GDP growth of 0.8% in the last quarter was driven by the construction sector. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

The Shard of Glass is just the kind of totemic confidence booster the country needs. Sandwiched between London Bridge station and Guy's hospital on the south bank of the Thames, it will be the tallest building in Europe when the first tenants cross the threshold in 2012. It will also charge the highest commercial rents outside New York and Tokyo.

The Renzo Piano-designed Shard could become a symbol of London's renewed vigour following the worst banking crash since 1929. It could also become the opposite, according to analysts who fear that Britain will fall back on its old allies of construction and financial services to boost recovery.

This week the construction sector was found to be one of the main props holding up the UK's growth in national income. Commercial property and spending on infrastructure projects spurred a jump of 4% in overall bricks-and-mortar spending in the third quarter, the Office for National Statistics revealed, after a 9% rise in the previous quarter. Once the figures were fed into the ONS mincer, construction made up almost a third of growth in gross domestic product (GDP).

The chancellor, George Osborne, was elated. Appearing before TV cameras, he focused on the headline figure that showed the UK grew by 0.8% in the three months to September, which was twice the City's more gloomy estimate.

Osborne said the economy was growing strongly and was on track to meet forecasts for growth set by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Several investment banks provided helpful charts showing the UK recovering more strongly than in previous recessions.

To most people, it seemed the prospect of massive public spending cuts was having little impact on the economy. But many analysts say we should ignore the headline figure and examine which sectors that are propelling the economy and how they are likely to fare.

In the construction sector, a rally that began last year is expected to peter out. "Everyone is wondering where growth is coming from," says Mel Budd, a construction forecaster at the analyst Leading Edge.

Kelly Forrest, a construction economist at the Construction Products Association, says the commercial market's strength was probably the biggest surprise. "The private sector has bounced back quite strongly but from a low base. There has been some recovery, but there are question marks as to whether it can be sustained."

Developers in London especially have started projects recently as City rents rise and forecasters predict a shortage of office space. The Pinnacle tower, or Helter Skelter, in Bishopsgate is now above street level. Land Securities and Songbird, owner of Canary Wharf, have started work on the Walkie Talkie on Fenchurch Street, and British Land is restarting its Cheesegrater on Leadenhall Street.

The last two are unlikely to have fed into the third-quarter figures but the Shard, which is in its most costly phase as its glass cladding is fitted, will have.

Two other factors have boosted construction this year. Housebuilders saw a brief recovery early this year, with the industry's top names talking of hiring 10,000 people. That will have affected recent output levels.

The previous government's stimulus efforts on public housing and schools construction will also have boosted numbers, according to Forrest. "Public-sector construction output continued to rise in the third quarter. We expect that to fall away from early next year," Forrest says.

The best guide to what will happen in construction is the government's new orders data, and it tells a grim story.

Housing orders are down sharply, especially as the government's decision to give more power back to local councils starts to bite and they reject planning applications after the relaxation of regional housebuilding targets. Few have confidence in the government's claims that it will build more homes than its predecessor, at least not in the short term.

But perhaps the biggest question remains the health of the commercial sector (offices, retail and industrial), which makes up almost a quarter of construction activity in the good times. New orders of commercial buildings rose towards the end of 2009, but then fell back 7% in the second quarter of this year. The sector will also need to rise strongly to offset falls in public-sector building.

Forrest says: "The outlook is a lot less optimistic than the figures for the second and third quarters suggest."

Without construction to lift growth, the economy will fall back on its old favourite: financial services. Banking, insurance, legal and accountancy services dropped like a stone after the Lehman Brothers crash of 2008. Since then they have recovered strongly and not only made up a significant slice of UK growth, but also propped up exports.

Manufacturing has regained some of the losses from the crisis, but has yet to show signs of a renaissance.

It was with this in mind that the eminent economic historian Robert Skidelsky argued on BBC radio that Osborne was "economically illiterate". Why, he asked, was the chancellor relying on figures showing the economy was growing when these were obviously retrospective? Spending cuts would lay waste to vital parts of industry, force up unemployment and shatter regional economies reliant on public investment.

Skidelsky warns of a double-dip recession. A devout Keynesian, he derides the government's reliance on monetarist remedies, including the prospect of quantitative easing by the Bank of England.

He is not certain the economy is on a crash course but like many commentators he fears Osborne's refusal to consider alternatives if austerity erodes confidence and kills growth. He stresses that the comprehensive spending review, which cut all important investment as well as current expenditure, raises the risk of this.

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, which monitors sentiment in the economy, agrees. He fears that the coalition's determination to withdraw support for the economy at such a delicate stage will bring about a double dip.

"With construction still the main driver of the stronger-than-expected GDP figure, and a deteriorating outlook for that sector and lower public spending, there is still a chance that the economy may need a further shot of stimulus in the near future," he says. "At the moment the only medicine available seems to be additional quantitative easing by the Bank of England."

Simon Kirby, an economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, warns that the effects of quantitative easing are unknown.

"They could be beneficial or they could be costly and long-lasting. It's for this reason we think the government should adopt a less stringent fiscal policy in the short term. It would allow the economy to establish a growth pattern before fiscal tightening takes effect," he says.

John Philpott, chief economist at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, is even more strident. He says: "QE2 [a second round of quantitative easing] is the ultimate escape route for fiscal masochists who reckon the chancellor doesn't need a plan B if public spending cuts and tax measures drive the economy back into recession. But what they overlook is that macho monetarism only works to stimulate demand, investment and jobs under certain conditions – and early post-recession Britain doesn't fit the bill."

No amount of skyscrapers will propel the UK out of recession, he adds. "Not only is the usual mechanism for transmitting extra money to businesses and households screwed up as the banks put their financial safety above the national interest but business and consumer confidence is anyway weak against a backdrop of economic uncertainty both at home and abroad.

"This is precisely the situation Keynes warned about in the 1930s when describing the impotence of monetary policy in a depressed economy. Simplistic reliance on QE2 could prove to be our own version of what Keynes called the futility of 'pushing on a string'.

"If George Osborne really wants to avoid a double-dip recession he should abandon the 'carry on regardless' school of fiscal policy and take a much more cautious approach to cutting the deficit. He can't assume QE2 will help him out."

ha - Shardview lives up to his name. That's one fabtastic eyrie to watch from.

Shardview77, nice jeans! :applause::tyty:

P.S. not another post by a guy who writes things for the Daily Blah!

[QUOTE=teemac;66260477]

we are just doing it as a point of interest for the public.

As i thought.So i guess 230 and 235 might be marked,as 191 and 200 are BT and CW towers resp.
The cladding is shooting up quite rapidly now.Will be good to see that corebox go.Tidy its look up a little.

[QUOTE=maceboy;66276595]

As i thought.So i guess 230 and 235 might be marked,as 191 and 200 are BT and CW towers resp.
The cladding is shooting up quite rapidly now.Will be good to see that corebox go.Tidy its look up a little.

The slip boxes will be replaced by hydraulic screens at level 40 which provides edge protection for the workers, has been in development for over 12 months and is now ready. things will slow down a little until all the screens are in place and ready to move again with the post tensioned structure.

The cladding company is now targetting between 200 - 250 units per week to get the building closed in but the count will drop once it catches up with the PT structure.

a few from the top of Tower bridge on a grey Sunday


http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0379.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0309.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0308.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0328.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0381.jpg

Wow tower bridge nice spot. Thanks chesty

surely all the way to the top of the crane this is the tallest in London

London discovering the good side of tall skyscrapers...just the beginning... guess London in two decades. maybe one

[QUOTE=teemac;66260477]

we are just doing it as a point of interest for the public.

I owe you an apology. I did not mean to be dismissive when I queried why you marked up the 191 metres, because it was certainly interesting to know that the Shard had reached that height.The emphasis was wrong on my post.What I was trying to say was that I was not sure why that point was marked, as opposed to other tall buildings in London which have been overtaken, such as Tower 42.However someone else pointed out in a post that for a long time( pre 1CS) the BT Tower had been the tallest building not just in the City but in the whole of Greater London, so I think I now do appreciate the reason for the 191 marker.So thanks once again for taking the trouble to put it there.
As you are obviously involved with the Shard can I ask whether you will put up a line when it reaches the height of Canada Square, or do we assume that is where the core stops?:)

[QUOTE=Skyscrapercarazeeee;66281971]

The slip boxes will be replaced by hydraulic screens at level 40 which provides edge protection for the workers, has been in development for over 12 months and is now ready. things will slow down a little until all the screens are in place and ready to move again with the post tensioned structure.

The cladding company is now targetting between 200 - 250 units per week to get the building closed in but the count will drop once it catches up with the PT structure.

Thanks for the info,thats a lot of units,apologise for messing up and quoting it from teemac!


ADSCHI,i think so.With the boom vertical,surely 250 metres! (203 plus 8 plus ?40). It's overtaken Heron roof now for sure.


.

When will this top out?

Nice

Sunday, 31st October
I took a trip into London today - took these aroud lunchtime. You can see a bit of crane extension being carried over the building in the first photo!
Oh - and these were taken with my Panasonic TZ7 (not my FZ28).
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5563/p1000906b.jpg
I shrunk them all to 50% original 7mp size, (sharpened and saturated them a bit)... but they're still quite big - but the detail is good - so forgive the hugeness!
Is this Joiner Street? - I forget the street names! All 3 taken from a similar location as I walked down it towards the main station...
this things looking proper enormous now - it's really dwarfing the old Edwardian(?) housing!
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/8113/p1000907b.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2536/p1000908b.jpg

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5021/p1000909b.jpg

These next 2 were taken from the other side of the station.
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1762/p1000912b.jpg

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/9319/p1000913b.jpg

Can anyone describe the alignment of the skylobby? from the pictures I'm having a hard time figuring out which direction it'll be looking out over. Obviously it won't be providing it's guests with a southwards view as there's very little to see. City and Docklands or Central London would make more sense.

Must say I'm impressed with the way Mace are acting towards the public with the construction of the Shard, the info screens, the updated height markings, there's clearly a lot of goodwill towards them on these forums and offices nearby. Hopefully other construction companies will learn a few tricks!

Bah forgot to ask. From my viewpoint in docklands I could see what looked like an orange barrage balloon next to the shard, any idea what it was?

Bah forgot to ask. From my viewpoint in docklands I could see what looked like an orange barrage balloon next to the shard, any idea what it was?

The winter sun?

Bah forgot to ask. From my viewpoint in docklands I could see what looked like an orange barrage balloon next to the shard, any idea what it was?

Vanessa Feltz?

Bah forgot to ask. From my viewpoint in docklands I could see what looked like an orange barrage balloon next to the shard, any idea what it was?

Ooo really, you didn't by chance take any pictures of this balloon. Only speculating but on some of the contentious schemes I've worked on in architecural practice they've used tethered balloons to gauge the height and impact of a proposal from certain viewpoints as part of the preliminary planning application process... could possibly be to do with the Three Spire project and/or Southwark's new guidelines on tall buildings....

Can anyone describe the alignment of the skylobby? from the pictures I'm having a hard time figuring out which direction it'll be looking out over. Obviously it won't be providing it's guests with a southwards view as there's very little to see. City and Docklands or Central London would make more sense.

The big atrium they are constructing for the hotel lobby appears to look north, towards the City, from the construction cams.

Should be a seriously impressive space to be in - great void with a wall of glass looking out over the square mile from over 100 metres up!

I see we're at about 210m to the top of the black form work - so only 100m to go - but it's going to be enormous with another 100m on top of where we are already! And only another 25m and it's going to be the tallest in London! Do we let the bananas loose when the black bit hits 235m - or when we see the concrete appearing? Of course 230m (Heron Tower) is when it takes 2nd place.
Interestingly it's overtaken in the last month:
8 canada sq (HSBC) - 200m
25 canada sq (next to HSBC) - 200m

Next up is Crystal Palace Transmitter - 219m
See here for details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_and_structures_in_London

Although the Crystal Palace transmitter is something like 120m above ground level so that would mean LBT will never be taller than it ;)

A nice distance shot of Shard on the skyline from City Airport. The landing plane has come in from JFK New York -

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1350/5122695663_f70152f53d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/)
IMG_1126 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/) by EuroSprinter (http://www.flickr.com/people/jhunter1987/), on Flickr

Bah forgot to ask. From my viewpoint in docklands I could see what looked like an orange barrage balloon next to the shard, any idea what it was?

Screwfix had a store opening at Limehouse at the weekend, and they had an yellow barrage balloon over the store. Looking from the docklands, this may have been in your line of sight to the Shard?

Floor 58 has appeared this afternoon.

[QUOTE=teemac;66198197]

Rock on as we used to say (or something like that - can't remember)!

Anyway, if anyone knows can they inform me why one central section of steelwork is missing on one side? What is going there? In PaulP's 2nd and 3rd photos it is just to the left of the central crane and now extends at least 3 floors. Have I missed a post on this?

That is where the core hoists are being removed, after today you will see it being infilled rapidly.

A nice distance shot of Shard on the skyline from City Airport. The landing plane has come in from JFK New York -

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1350/5122695663_f70152f53d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/)
IMG_1126 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/) by EuroSprinter (http://www.flickr.com/people/jhunter1987/), on Flickr

I didnt realise that city airport took on planes big enough to fly from the USA. Nice view ;)

^ I think its quite a recent addition to LCA's destinations, if I remember there was some controversy over the route for how few passengers it carries for such a long route etc etc.....

That won't have come from New York as it's an Embraer with Wingtips like that. The A318s that come from JFK have different wingtips that don't just curl upwards. :)

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/3/7/6/1567673.jpg

A nice distance shot of Shard on the skyline from City Airport. The landing plane has come in from JFK New York -

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1350/5122695663_f70152f53d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/)
IMG_1126 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhunter1987/5122695663/) by EuroSprinter (http://www.flickr.com/people/jhunter1987/), on Flickr

It's a shame only the pilots get that view!

I think the Wikipedia article needs updating with a new Shard picture.

Would anyone be willing to host their picture on Flickr with no copyright restrictions in order that Wikipedia can transfer it for use on the Wikipedia page. The pictures would need to be of the whole building and fairly representative of it, and ideally be from today or yesterday. (It being sunny would be a bonus) :lol:

From Today

The Shard :nuts:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5136400671_2d46f8da60_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22794140@N06/5136400657/

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/5136400641_09f00c5d13_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/5136400649_8d421f5e01_b.jpg

London Bridge Place

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/5137053940_b2ae6dc113_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/5137052014_3cc7ff54fb_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/5137055120_05ae159e97_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1174/5137057016_af2ea4fc34_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1230/5136694201_e878164c07_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54481577@N07/5136694201/)
Beige Sky Evening (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54481577@N07/5136694201/) by Hans Pfaal (http://www.flickr.com/people/54481577@N07/), on Flickr

pano from Tower Bridge

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/thames.jpg

^^ Ahh the crystal clear azure blue waters of the Thames!.. or is that the baby shit brown waters of the Thames? The good thing is because of the 8 degree angle of the cladding youre unlikely to see a reflection of it in it!

I do look at that and wish the Thames has a shingle/rock bed. The mud really doesn't do it any favours.

They really ought to think about changing the water in the Thames. Not sure where you'd keep the fish whilst it was being cleaned out though.

reminds me of rivers in South East Asia - Bangkok etc in the rainy season.

(deleted)

^^ Ahh the crystal clear azure blue waters of the Thames!.. or is that the baby shit brown waters of the Thames? The good thing is because of the 8 degree angle of the cladding youre unlikely to see a reflection of it in it!

6 degree angle:) I think the Thames has a nice mahogany hue.

reminds me of rivers in South East Asia - Bangkok etc in the rainy season.

Looks like half the city just flushed :lol:. Great vantage point there chest. Shame you can’t clearly see the Heron though.

Hmmm! The Thames doesn't look that great, but for those doubters look at this:- http://www.greenguardian.co.uk/news/south_west/8450021.World_class_award_for_Thames/ Thanks for the great pics again chest.

Melbourne's Yarra River looks like that all the time - they call it the upside down river and it even has a 1,000ft supertall next to it - Eureka Tower (just shy of 1,000ft I think)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2174304772_f688415dd8_z.jpg?zz=1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiatrotter/2174304772/)
DSC00115 (Medium) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiatrotter/2174304772/) by Birsha (http://www.flickr.com/people/indiatrotter/), on Flickr

^^^^ both that river and the Thames are made to flow extra fast by narrowing with new embankments. Joseph Basslejet was responsible for doing this to the Thames. It helps to keeps the river fom forming mud banks by removing sediments as quickly as possible and quickens the exit of pollution.

The downside is that what you can see is all the mud and dirt being suspended by that fast flow as it exits. The Thames is/was the cleanest metropolitan river in the World - even seeahorses have been found living in it.
.

^^^^ both that river and the Thames are made to flow extra fast by narrowing with new embankments. Joseph Basslejet was responsible for doing this to the Thames. It helps to keeps the river fom forming mud banks by removing sediments as quickly as possible and quickens the exit of pollution.

The downside is that what you can see is all the mud and dirt being suspended by that fast flow as it exits. The Thames is/was the cleanest metropolitan river in the World - even seeahorses have been found living in it.
.

Think it was Joseph Bazalgette:)

LOL thanks Maybe I was thinking of a hotel in Cornwall? :dunno:

Interesting, I didn't know that:)

Unbelievable the progress! I didn't visit this topic for a few months.

Next two floors of steel frame starting to go up! :eek: I thought they were going to wait until that form box had been removed first!

Though having said that, the cranes have gone very still this afternoon.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1230/5136694201_e878164c07_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54481577@N07/5136694201/)
Beige Sky Evening (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54481577@N07/5136694201/) by Hans Pfaal (http://www.flickr.com/people/54481577@N07/), on Flickr


Nice night shot - so many people forget how long the shutter is open for on a night shot and take a blurry handheld one - so congrats! FYI - I find it helps to find a wall or something to sit the camera on, prop it at an angle with a lens cover or stick and use the self-timer so the shutter button doesn't jog it - and make sure the flash is turned off!
I took a bunch of them 10 days or so ago before a concert but was so busy I never got round to uploading them - and now they're out of date - and the daylight ones people took that weekend came out far better.

On the subject of 'mucky' big city rivers, I add in...

Paris:
http://www.edwud.com/photos/river_seine_from_eiffel_tower.jpg

http://www.briangardiner.ca/shutterbug/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/bridge-over-river-seine-1024x768.jpg

Rome:
http://daley.med.harvard.edu/assets/Willy/Bridge_Angels.jpg

and as for the junk you see floating in New York's Hudson!:
http://jon8332.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451f7f169e2010536cc987b970b-800wi

^^:lol:

That new bridge on the Seine is nice :)

I was just thinking, it's going to be pretty cold up there on the top when the real cold weather kicks in and the building is at it's peak in December. Plus it will only become water tight probably in the summer next year.

I wouldn't want to be up there on a blustery winters day!

That new bridge on the Seine is nice :)

What new bridge? If you mean the white arched bridge, that's Passerelle Debilly - it was built in 1900! :D

I wouldn't want to be up there on a blustery winters day!

It can get pretty f***ing cold on a blustery autumn day given the "right" wind direction! :happy:

I was just thinking, it's going to be pretty cold up there on the top when the real cold weather kicks in and the building is at it's peak in December. Plus it will only become water tight probably in the summer next year.

I wouldn't want to be up there on a blustery winters day!

God no...I dont know how they manage it :lol:

January and February are are coldest months (its only the end of Feb in southern England that places a cigarette paper between them) but yes...I suspect things will slow down somewhat. Mind you...how do they manage in places with real winter weather like NY? Or worse!

I wonder if this is all taken account of in their timetable?

Yes - its the view from every room in the flat! Sometimes its difficult to get out of bed...http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/5131201873_0e71850c09_b.jpg


I hate it. them socks are ugly! :ohno:

What new bridge? If you mean the white arched bridge, that's Passerelle Debilly - it was built in 1900! :D

I think he probably means the arched "Sydney Harbour" bridge in the first photo...

I think he probably means the arched "Sydney Harbour" bridge in the first photo...

That's the one I'm talking about too. It's been there 110 years.

http://www.offrench.net/photos/gallery-5_photo-749.php
http://fr.academic.ru/pictures/frwiki/80/PasserelleDebillyJour.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5139469716_2f28bcd01e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21518522@N03/5139469716/)
November 2nd (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21518522@N03/5139469716/) by CB_LDN (http://www.flickr.com/people/21518522@N03/), on Flickr

I've been taking this picture for a year as a time lapse project. Any interest in a cropped version of just the shard going up behind tower bridge?

Aligning the frames will take a while, but I should have something in a week or so.

A couple of photos from this evening...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5140803565_e0a4bc8410_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/5140823083_56d0052f3a_b.jpg

I've been taking this picture for a year as a time lapse project. Any interest in a cropped version of just the shard going up behind tower bridge?

Aligning the frames will take a while, but I should have something in a week or so.

From Scotland Yard?

From Scotland Yard?

Not quite. My employer can be a bit funny about us revealing stuff online, so let's just say, "Near there"!

They really are struggling to get that core form box down aren't they? I thought it would be whipped down in the space of a day! Maybe the scaffolding has set into the concrete? :D

They really are struggling to get that core form box down aren't they? I thought it would be whipped down in the space of a day! Maybe the scaffolding has set into the concrete? :D

Haha - but in all seriousness there's probably lots of hydraulic equipment... and they have to be careful not to drop it onto the floors and people underneath... I'd imagine you could do some serious damage dropping that formwork and it's equipment... plus - it's not like they do this every day... it's quite unusual... and balanced precariously so one mistake and they'd be a big accident! I imagine there's lots of redundancy connecting it to the tower so it doesn't fall off the building as it's being built... so they're probably being very careful as they dismantle it!

Just noticed yesterday evening that there's quite a good view of this from the platforms at Charing Cross station now!

What new bridge? If you mean the white arched bridge, that's Passerelle Debilly - it was built in 1900! :D

>_<

Shows how much I know! Well. It's a nice bridge that has aged very well indeed then!

Just noticed yesterday evening that there's quite a good view of this from the platforms at Charing Cross station now!

And St.Pancras too! :)

Can someone get a shot from London Bridge and a full picture of the tower please. :angel:

On second thoughts that was rubbish.

Lovely mild day today. Very little visible work being done on the Shard lately.

Wooo that's hypnotic!

Can someone get a shot from London Bridge and a full picture of the tower please. :angel:

according to you, you live in London, so you could get one (or loads of pics) yourself

a few night pics


http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0401.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0434.jpg

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/IMG_0431.jpg

Can someone get a shot from London Bridge and a full picture of the tower please. :angel:


You have a camera ?:)
Think the tower looks better by day at the moment...mind you,not a lot of difference considering the light pollution in London.Deep sky observers definately a rarity in London i suspect

Floor 59 fully exposed now.

^^ Cranes all seemed parked today, slow site day?

^^ Cranes all seemed parked today, slow site day?

Wind restrictions maybe?

edit: Actually, I see no Hi-Vizs either....Has maceboy lead them into downing tools? :D

all cranes stopped on the NEO bankside development also, tis very windy today

Its very windy today in London, its probably down to that

Its also 18c....like a summers day :)

A bunch of pics from Tuesday.

The rest of this update (about 60 photos) is in my Shard Gallery (http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0002.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0021.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0050.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0064.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0068.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0075.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0076.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0081.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20101102_0084.jpg

Can someone get a shot from London Bridge and a full picture of the tower please. :angel:

Well everyone whos quoted this or looked at this and said do it yourself, as a true FACT i do live in London but in Putney and i am only twelve years old and i do not have a camera, so can some one please get a shot. :ohno:

P.S. Cybertect cracking shots, but maybe London Bridge next time! :lol:

I'm now paying attention to this building, having previously noticed The Shard forum on here, I never actually checked to see what it was, then I was in London just the other week, and was over awed, the Shard took me by surprise. London's first 1000+ footer!

Anyway, can anyone tell me how high the core will be once it is topped out, and what the total height of the building will be?

Shard Baby, I am sure I have images from 2 weeks ago that I took from Tower Bridge, I'll upload asap ;)

Anyway, can anyone tell me how high the core will be once it is topped out, and what the total height of the building will be?
It's pretty easy to get the answer to that question yourself without asking other people. That's what thread titles and Google are for. ;)
The core will be about 240m when it tops out.

And fantastic updates people, the cladding is looking as good as ever! She's really soaring now, and yet the building's only 2/3 of the final height! :eek:

I'm now paying attention to this building, having previously noticed The Shard forum on here, I never actually checked to see what it was, then I was in London just the other week, and was over awed, the Shard took me by surprise. London's first 1000+ footer!

Anyway, can anyone tell me how high the core will be once it is topped out, and what the total height of the building will be?

Core - 240m
Building - there's a clue in the title of the thread! ;)

Ah Cybertect, I only realise how much I've missed your photos when you post a new load up here. Great stuff!

Well everyone whos quoted this or looked at this and said do it yourself, as a true FACT i do live in London but in Putney and i am only twelve years old and i do not have a camera, so can some one please get a shot. :ohno:

P.S. Cybertect cracking shots, but maybe London Bridge next time! :lol:

I live in north Essex and I am 14 years old and I went on the train all the way to London on a rainy day with my dad
( who took the day off from work - he works in the City :P ) to get some (albeit rather poor) pics...

Shard Baby, I am sure I have images from 2 weeks ago that I took from Tower Bridge, I'll upload asap ;)

thank you! :colgate:

Yeah, sorry if you felt it was an obvious question, it was just I wanted some clarification, there was a contradiction between the title of this thread and information on other webpages. It clearly states total height of 72 floors, but other sites say 87. Where did those extra 15 floors appear from?

Cheers ;)

The building has 72 usable floors..it has 15 plant (for essential machinery and radiators etc) floors also..so it is 87 floors.


If you were counting the floors from outside you would count 87 floors.

Thanks for the update Rob. Been missing your fantastic updates!

is the glass cladding from Germany/Holland?

is the glass cladding from Germany/Holland?

Apparantely they are manufactured in Holland, so Holland :cheers:

Apparantely they are manufactured in Holland, so Holland :cheers:


:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Apparantely they are manufactured in Holland, so Holland :cheers:

Yup - Scheldebouw.

Cladding geeks - they're good.

I've been pretty bad with posting updates recently, but I'm back with a couple from earlier in the week.

By Borough station
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225617_ShiftN.jpg

Long Lane
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225621_ShiftN.jpg

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225622_ShiftN.jpg

Little gardens off Tabart Street
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225633.jpg

Redcross Way
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225635.jpg

Leathermarket Gardens
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225651.jpg

Weston Street/Guy Street
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225653_ShiftN.jpg

Like the run-down feel in number 3 - would be great in b&w.

http://i52.************/14ujsq9.jpg

http://i51.************/2qss6e0.jpg

^^ Those pictures show a great contrast between current London, and the London of the future :)

The plant floors are tiny though?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1152/5118919819_3556312c6b_o.jpg

I've been pretty bad with posting updates recently, but I'm back with a couple from earlier in the week.

Little gardens off Tabard Street
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15225633.jpg


That garden is by St George the Martyr mentioned in Dickens novels. The wall is part of the Marshalsea debtors prison.
Took these photos in Angel Place in 2004 on the opposite side of the wall before the steps to the garden were removed and the Dickens signs were vandalised and also removed and replaced higher up on the wall at the BHS end of Angel Place. Lot of history around that area.
http://i52.************/2i2hr7.jpg................ http://i53.************/msg8qu.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1096/5146678793_f3e942ea0b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21518522@N03/5146678793/)
Early evening (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21518522@N03/5146678793/) by CB_LDN (http://www.flickr.com/people/21518522@N03/), on Flickr

Does anyone know what the plans are for the streets around the Shard when it is finished?

At the moment, driving West to East along the South Bank, the main flow takes you off Borough High St on to St Thomas St and then through the Stainer St tunnel to Tooley St.

As St Thomas St and the Stainer St tunnel are very close to the base of the tower, are they going to be closed to traffic (ie for security reasons) and the West to East route moved elsewhere?

Great pictures today everyone. And that last picture by CB LDN is one of my favourites. It’s a view we hardly ever see.

[QUOTE=anthonySE1;66537231]That garden is by St George the Martyr mentioned in Dickens novels. The wall is part of the Marshalsea debtors prison.
Took these photos in Angel Place in 2004 on the opposite side of the wall before the steps to the garden were removed and the Dickens signs were vandalised and also removed and replaced higher up on the wall at the BHS end of Angel Place. Lot of history around that area.

Fascinating, Anthony.I had no idea that anything at all remained of the Marshalsea. It has been portrayed in several tv/film versions of Little Dorrit in recent years-I wonder how close the film makers got to the original?

Well everyone whos quoted this or looked at this and said do it yourself, as a true FACT i do live in London but in Putney and i am only twelve years old and i do not have a camera, so can some one please get a shot. :ohno:

P.S. Cybertect cracking shots, but maybe London Bridge next time! :lol:



Aw bless ! You really are the the Shard Baby ;)

reminds me of rivers in South East Asia - Bangkok etc in the rainy season.

You mean this ISN'T the rainy season?!

To be fair, though, the river is pretty clean its just sediment. And if Thames Water gets its way to build the Thames Tunnel it will be clearer still.

Shard and City Hall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMV4-hEkK40

Shard now at 206 metres (thanks to rockdoctors info).Level 60 will mark 100 metres remaining.Racing the cladding up to get semi-weather tight.Maybe some very wet months to come.

Yup - Scheldebouw.

Cladding geeks - they're good.

Shame they couldnt of been manufactured in the UK and support our economy and jobs

Yeah, sorry if you felt it was an obvious question, it was just I wanted some clarification, there was a contradiction between the title of this thread and information on other webpages. It clearly states total height of 72 floors, but other sites say 87. Where did those extra 15 floors appear from?

Cheers ;)

the 72 floors plus 3 basements include plant areas. B1 - B3 are plant areas, 29&30,33,66 are all plant areas. The overall height of the tower when the spire in complete will be the equivelent of 94 floors.

I assume things are going to slow down now while the concrete floors are cast.

I went to the Clapham Common Guy Fawkes night fireworks, and i was very schocked to see the shard visible from there! And heron tower.

the 72 floors plus 3 basements include plant areas. B1 - B3 are plant areas, 29&30,33,66 are all plant areas. The overall height of the tower when the spire in complete will be the equivelent of 94 floors.

What's your role on the job maceboy?

i can't see much work being done on monday:

Met Office Warning: An unusually deep area of low pressure will bring a period of severe gales and heavy rain throughout Monday with inland gusts likely to reach 55-65mph in places, especially in areas exposed to the south to southeasterly winds. There is a risk of disruption due to falling trees, especially given that some trees are still in leaf... - http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/se_forecast_warnings.html?day=3

better get everything tied down and secured this weekend.

Think south east may get away with this,winds 9 MPH London Monday.
South west looks to be in the firing line more-current chart anyway.
Cladding looks great in the current east webcam shot.Really refecling the moood of the sky!

There seems to be a multi-floor cut-out on the South-East corner of the backpack - anyone know what it's for?

Core box slipform part 1 is being taken away as we speak, at six this morning the black bit above mace had dissapeared! but at 9:56 the bottom part of black box below the mace logo had gone! :eek2::D

http://www.siteeyelive.com/monitor/shard/camputer64.jpg

P.S. Yay! 50th post! :cucumber:

http://i54.************/2afkd2o.jpg

Well done Anthony ^^! level 60, which means 100 metres to go, and look at it over the skyline (well still can't see it from my house), what a milestone! woooooooooooooot!!! :banana::banana::banana:, soon the slipform part 1 will be gone forever and it's a sad farewell,138 metres of core box rising, till it stopped to split in August and started rising again in early September. For the core box! :cheers: :bowtie::runaway::toilet::fart::gaah::goodbye:

Currently down to a "SH" on the eastern face! :D
Must be the noisy fireworks...

Also, is it my imagination or are there concrete pillars on the top of the primary core with rebar sticking out the top? Are these to support the next floor?

two webcam shots showing the progress in two months (approx)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1430/5150370001_dcb6f9be1c_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/5150977394_0014d2a996_b.jpg

Currently down to a "SH" on the eastern face! :D
Must be the noisy fireworks...

Also, is it my imagination or are there concrete pillars on the top of the primary core with rebar sticking out the top? Are these to support the next floor?

Yep! anthonySE1 spotted those a few pages back peeking through the slipform. No idea what their purpose is yet.

two webcam shots showing the progress in two months (approx)


Wow, very good progress!

im sure its been asked b4 but, whats that going up on the left?
Guys extention?
man i just love the way the shards all going up at the same time, core, steel, and glass.
i get to see it from the train into town from the south tomorow

Shame they couldnt of been manufactured in the UK and support our economy and jobs

True, but the best cladding companies aren't British. The Dutch, the Austrians and the Germans excel in that field.

It's quite likely however that the glass is British though (Pilkingtons for example) - but I don't know it for a fact.

The steel is British however I believe, brought down on lorries from the north, as with Heron. Even some of the workforce are British I suspect. :)

So on balance the UK economy and jobs are doing pretty well out of the Shard and the other London skyscrapers going up, so I wouldn't worry too much.

im sure its been asked b4 but, whats that going up on the left?
Guys extention?
It's another part of the Shard - a second core connected to the main tower.

latest from me this afternoon

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/5150628203_4accf0c80d_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/5150631717_f4a31fcf38_b.jpg

Fantastic shots Nauticat. That panorma is brilliant. Really gives a great perspective on all the major skyscrapers in London. Can't wait for Leadenhall and the Pinnacle to fill the gaps in the City plus it's great to picture how Riverside will fill things out further down river. Still think it's a shame 100 Bishopsgate isn't going to be taller as it's in one of the last prime spots in the city that won't affect site lines and yet they're not taking advantage of that fact. Oh well can't complain with all the developments on the way.

http://i51.************/9pz2ww.jpg

SSC Banner size

Shard looks so giant

Shard looks ridiculously tall in nauticat's pics, yet we still have another 100m to go!!!!

http://i56.************/t9a5jc.jpg

Shard in the early sunset
http://www.siteeyelive.com/monitor/shard/camputer30.jpg

Don't visit the London forum very often ... but wow! This will be an amazing building. Will it be completed (externally at least) for the 2012 games?

the whole building is due to open in spring 2012 so yeah :)

edit - if not the whole building i would say the hotel and the viewing galleries would be open in time for the olympics

the whole building is due to open in spring 2012 so yeah :)

edit - if not the whole building i would say the hotel and the viewing galleries would be open in time for the olympics

Fantastic! Coming down to see the Gymnastics at the Games, hopefully having 2 or 3 days in London and looking forward to seeing what London has done to itself as I haven't been down for over 10 years ... not even seen the Gherkin yet ... shame on me!

A dusk shot from a couple of days ago. Looking great from Docklands...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1391/5151086551_88ee12722b_z_d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mogwai_83/5151086551/)

great picture :happy:

heres an evening version of my earlier shot

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/5151810374_1ccbeb64df_b.jpg

Wow! that picture really gives a huge perpective of 100metres to go, she's huge! In decades the sky will be full of skyscrapers(well only if global warming doesn't hit then)! :omg: ^^ :nuts:


Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! the mace logo has gone! :cry:

Why dont we get pictures like that for london as the SSC banner :(

I spy with my little eye... Something beginning with S...
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1050/5151972982_8bba943d2f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151972982/)
DSC02761 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151972982/) by robinsonhome (http://www.flickr.com/people/16583702@N04/), on Flickr

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151969860/" title="DSC02755 by robinsonhome, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/5151969860_f23d80afe3_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="DSC02755" /></a>

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5151963448_ea24d08bef_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151963448/)
DSC02757 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151963448/) by robinsonhome (http://www.flickr.com/people/16583702@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1336/5151347699_7194bc5516_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151347699/)
DSC02756 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/16583702@N04/5151347699/) by robinsonhome (http://www.flickr.com/people/16583702@N04/), on Flickr

£100 to the person who guess where they were from

I have 5 videos coming today or tommorow, and im also going into central london tommorow :)

Clapham Common - giveaway in the second photo.

Clapham Common - giveaway in the second photo.

Aww, I was gonna say Clapham Common, but I hadn't noticed that! You win the £100....

Also, is it my imagination or are there concrete pillars on the top of the primary core with rebar sticking out the top? Are these to support the next floor?

Shard shifts to concrete floors after the first few hotel levels (that big lobby on the north side?), so I think this is the start of that.

This article that Will Fox linked to a while ago explains in some detail, although it is rather technical and needs some deciphering if you're a layman (as I am).

http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=694

Here's a couple of relevant quotes:

At the upper hotel and residential levels, 200-millimeter (8-inch) thick post-tensioned concrete slabs (Levels 40 to 72) were designed for spans of up to 9 meters (30 feet) from the perimeter to the concrete core. These post-tensioned slabs will provide the maximum number of floors within the limit of the building height, as well as providing the required acoustic separation between the residential levels.

And also this, which seams to imply that the columns will also be concrete in the upper hotel and residential levels:

High-strength concrete in the range of 65-80 Megapascal (9,500-11,500 psi) will be used for the reinforced concrete columns at the upper hotel and residential levels in order to minimize their dimensions.

Anybody who understand this more than me able to say if this is correct or not?

Damit lol.. Ah well

First post here! I've been following for a while on another forum, and on here but without posting but had a question about the Shard.

I've been up to see it, and obviously at the moment nothing is happening inside so at night you can't really see much of it.. But, when its finished are they lighting the glass from the outside/inside anyway? I think it could look very cool at night like that :bowtie:

First post here!
I've been up to see it, and obviously at the moment nothing is happening inside so at night you can't really see much of it.. But, when its finished are they lighting the glass from the outside/inside anyway? I think it could look very cool at night like that :bowtie:

Welcome Jonny671 :). I highly doubt that it would be lit from the outside. The only light will be from the residents of the tower, whether that be from the offices, hotel or apartments. The render on the first page of this thread shows how it will look at dusk. Like any other building, it will be a living entity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8r0Yc0X5VQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGlHvkpuD1w


2 Videos of mine from a couple of weeks ago. got 5 more coming up soon.
- I know a friend who has access to the top of HSBC, so i might be going up there soon:)
- another friend of mine works for mace and knows alot about this project, he will be sending me photos and information about how they do it and things.

This building is absolutely stunning. Two pictures which i've taken on October the 23th:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1087/5151739019_f562e947a8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswevers/5151739019/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswevers/5151739019/) by Chris Wevers (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriswevers/), on Flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1153/5151777529_f2a023d528_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswevers/5151777529/)
Under Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriswevers/5151777529/) by Chris Wevers (http://www.flickr.com/people/chriswevers/), on Flickr