So frustrating that they want the Britain at war museum demolished. It is designed not to obstruct people using the station, and yet obstruction is the reason cited for demolition? Sort it out.

I love how slender it is. Britain used to be so good at massing buildings, this one hugs the train station brilliantly. Great old filler buildings are Londons passport in the world

had a day in the city today and took a grand total of 53 photos, lots of which are focused on the shard. some of them may be quite repetitive, so bare with me :)

I know the weather's been good recently, but that's going too far...

^^ lol

passed one of my favourite local viewpoints today but some disgusting smog made it invisible, or at least very hard to see. I took a shot but it was too hard to see that the photo wasn't good enough to show

Some trivia for you here, the picture of Churchill above the museum has been photoshopped to remove his cigar

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/in-the-media/churchill-in-the-news/919-pc-censors-photoshop-churchills-cigar

While they were at it why not just airbrush out those nasty little concentration camps? Very unfashionable. And those naughty naughty U-boats... :bash:

Happy Easter everyone!!!
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5650058091_9ba12fc9b0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5650058091/)
shard today 24.4.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5650058091/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr
No movement since Friday, I think everyone has gone on their Easter break.

I presume we won't see any activity on the site now until the 3rd May.

I presume we won't see any activity on the site now until the 3rd May.

Shouldn't work re-commence on Tuesday (26th)?

So frustrating that they want the Britain at war museum demolished.

I thought it was a pretty naff experience for £15 anyway. Bit of a tourist trap when the imperial war museum is Free.

The building isn't that old in terms of London Bridge Station. Other aspects of the station (i.e. the arches) are 60 years older and some of these are being demolished...but I think overall it will enable the station to function better.

Also, by having the building removed it helps in wayfinding. If you come out of the new proposed entrance you'll be able to look down both ways of Tooley street and diagonally down to see Tower Bridge through More London

You are absolutely correct in what you say. Nevertheless, I am rather fond of that War Museum building. I've always regarded it as our own mini version of the "Flat Iron" building in NYC just tucked in there by the railway lines. :)

Shouldn't work re-commence on Tuesday (26th)?

I would think so!

While they were at it why not just airbrush out those nasty little concentration camps? Very unfashionable. And those naughty naughty U-boats... :bash:

It was reactions like this that forced them to change it back! But I agree. Its ridiculous to try and change history like that, especially something so iconic to churchill's character!

I love the War Museum building, it looks great from More London with it's redbrick and green windows. Adds some colour to the scene.

Don't know if this has been posted or illuded to from Building Website. So here it is anyway....


Shard and Cheesegrater part of a dying breed, says Ken Shuttleworth

The architect of London’s iconic Gherkin tower has pronounced the death of skyscrapers in the capital.

The raft of high-rise towers being built in the City to open by 2014, including the Shard and the Cheesegrater, will be the last of a dying breed of skyscrapers, he says.

Ken Shuttleworth, the architect at Norman Foster who designed the Gherkin, told Bloomberg News he expects developers to move away from skyscrapers to cheaper ‘ground-scrapers’.

“The age of bling is over,” Shuttleworth said. “Money now drives everything so if you can build something for half the price, you will. The tall glass box is dead.”

Tenants are demanding “austere and efficient” buildings that are more likely to be “ground-scrapers” than high-rises, he added.

Yesterday British Land announced it had won planning permission for a controversial groundscraper development at Broadgate in the City, which will house Swiss bank UBS.


But surely this depends on the investor no? If middle eastern money wants to invest in something high profile and economics is scewed because of the hubris involved with middle eastern investors then the rules Shuttleworth states here don't apply, I would guess he is referring to UK investors and developers in such projects? Obviously it depends if it is demand led or client led too.

I'm not sure how he draws this conclusion apart from taking it from a one-dimensional angle relating to UK involvement from design to build? Thoughts anyone?

Sounds to me like he is trying to justify his own groundscraper at Broadgate. You can only build groundscapers if you own enough ground to build them on. In a dense city with land at a premium tall buildings will always be an option. However building, like everything else, does follow trends - perhaps we will see a change in thinking. Personally I think groundscapers are very bad for the urban fabric. My concern is with CW which seems to losing momentum in the face of the City's resurgence. CW offers us the best opportunity for a real high rise urbanity but I increasingly find the thought that it may have had it's day creeping into my mind.

CW is dead for the time-being I feel, maybe Crossrail will give new impetus to the district for the 2020's. It will be devastating if it's left as it is, because let's be honest, it does only look about 1/3 finished! I'm a bit concerned that smaller developments will keep sucking up land around there on modest projects, leaving no room for anything high in the future! The Wharf has 3 towers, none of which are particularly high in an area that could take it (if only City Airport wasn't there!). Anyway, I agree it sounds like promotion and not reality to me.

London Bridge Tower I would like to see 3 Sisters or something akin close by to complete it. On it's own with the blocks of Guys and PWC's buildings is it? that sit next to the bridge on the south side, it needs a few more higher slimmer buildings to put it all in balance.

I thought it was a pretty naff experience for £15 anyway. Bit of a tourist trap when the imperial war museum is Free.

So gut the insides and make it another entrance into the station. As long as the facade remains everything's peachy.

^^ that's what I thought, the facade should be preserved!

Most people don't think like us though. To the majority, preserving the facade is just added cost.

^^ that's what I thought, the facade should be preserved!

Most people don't think like us though. To the majority, preserving the facade is just added cost.

I think he was being Sarcastic, Autothrill.

from the Mile End Park bridge..

http://web.me.com/benveasey/IMG_1855.JPG

http://web.me.com/benveasey/IMG_1854.jpg

^off topic, but those "superhighways" are RIDICULOUS! What on earth were they thinking?! Thanks for the updates everyone.

Superhighway? All I see is a road!

"Superhighways"



Sounds very American to me! The two bus lanes make the roads that wide.

Nice pictures chest. Hopefully work should re-commence in the morning :).

pretty sure he's talking about the blue Barclays cycle super highways... The bright blue lanes are hideous but the idea behind them is a very good one. What about simple arterial cycle routes into London to you object to?

Work has restarted, a few glass panels have gone up on the south side

pretty sure he's talking about the blue Barclays cycle super highways... The bright blue lanes are hideous but the idea behind them is a very good one. What about simple arterial cycle routes into London to you object to?

The idea is great, the implementation less so. I have riden parts of the southern route for many years and the painting of 1m of the road blue has made absolutely zero difference to my commute.

The idea is great, the implementation less so. I have riden parts of the southern route for many years and the painting of 1m of the road blue has made absolutely zero difference to my commute.

Since the highway in my area was introduced the number of cyclists using the route has risen by a factor of 4 or 5, at a guess.

Since the highway in my area was introduced the number of cyclists using the route has risen by a factor of 4 or 5, at a guess.
Wow! Can't say I've seen the same sort of increase on my commute (although numbers have been increasing steadily over the lase decade)

The Shard from Brockwell Park yesterday. It was a really nice day actually. Great views of the skyline! :)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8185/dscf4406n.jpg

This is my point exactly. I LOVE the idea of a cycle 'superhighway' (it does sound awfully American), however, there is just nothing super about them. If they were more like the cycle lanes found in Bloomsbury, I'd be more than happy, but these are just ridiculous.

A concrete separation would be ideal. At the moment, you have whacking great bus-stops/bus-lanes in the way and that's just in 1 picture.


EDIT: Nice picture; looks like a real cluster.

Just found this stunning shot on flikr: :cheers:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5657701031_8d0e8b3760_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtinalamb/5657701031/)
GPO Tower City view (http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtinalamb/5657701031/) by xtinalamb (http://www.flickr.com/people/xtinalamb/), on Flickr

^^ that's what I thought, the facade should be preserved!

Most people don't think like us though. To the majority, preserving the facade is just added cost.

If they keep the upper floors and let them, they will be making money/cost, regarding this ghastly idea where can I complain?

Just found this stunning shot on flikr: :cheers:


Could be cropped to make a fine banner, though a pity the camera wasn't pointing slightly further to the left. With apologies to xtinalamb:

http://i51.tinypic.com/108afpw.jpg

I think he was being Sarcastic, Autothrill.

Nope I meant it, I really want to see them retain the war museum's facade and I don't really care what happens to the exhibits.

Heres another great shot from Flickr:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5067/5655218072_e8e495c2d3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/swishphotos/5655218072/)
The Shard and St Paul's (http://www.flickr.com/photos/swishphotos/5655218072/) by swishphotos (http://www.flickr.com/people/swishphotos/), on Flickr

absolutly stunning tower i would love to see few more like that in london

I'm still amazed New Street Square was allowed to be so tall. Was it a reclad?

I just checked. It wasn't. I was quite vocal about it being built. Dark black cladding? Yeuch.

CW is dead for the time-being I feel, maybe Crossrail will give new impetus to the district for the 2020's. It will be devastating if it's left as it is, because let's be honest, it does only look about 1/3 finished! I'm a bit concerned that smaller developments will keep sucking up land around there on modest projects, leaving no room for anything high in the future! The Wharf has 3 towers, none of which are particularly high in an area that could take it (if only City Airport wasn't there!). Anyway, I agree it sounds like promotion and not reality to me.

London Bridge Tower I would like to see 3 Sisters or something akin close by to complete it. On it's own with the blocks of Guys and PWC's buildings is it? that sit next to the bridge on the south side, it needs a few more higher slimmer buildings to put it all in balance.

Its definitely not dead. I walk through the new wood wharf estate http://www.woodwharf.com/index.php every day and the area is being levelled ready for construction. Slowly but surely!

You are right though, when CrossRail is opened, it will give the area a real kick!

How high in meters is the shard now because Im wondering if its as tall now as the pinnacle will be when thats toped out

Still around the 244 meter mark and has been ever since the core topped out. It will stay that way until the steel surpasses the core, so in answer to your question; no, it is still about 44 meters short.

Excellent areal views of the Shard on sky news today!

This is my point exactly. I LOVE the idea of a cycle 'superhighway' (it does sound awfully American), however, there is just nothing super about them. If they were more like the cycle lanes found in Bloomsbury, I'd be more than happy, but these are just ridiculous.

A concrete separation would be ideal. At the moment, you have whacking great bus-stops/bus-lanes in the way and that's just in 1 picture.


EDIT: Nice picture; looks like a real cluster.

Thanks! Also I would agree with what your saying but after seeing the amount of cyclists on the route, concrete curbs either side would probably cause more problems that they would solve. Also, if you happen to fall whilst riding for whatever reason, you'll hit the curb, which wouldn't be great would it. :)

http://i54.tinypic.com/2ytzj94.jpg

My Photos from my two day break to London tahn :D

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5662155351_acdf853d11_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5662657228_0b77c67e89_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5662148675_1c6854e21e_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/5662134581_06bd024bda_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5662129083_4f4c8ecb09_b.jpg

^^ Wow! Those last two pics really give an impression of height. I've been waiting to get to London, hopefully in the summer. I really want to see this giant when it is nearly topped out!
I was watching a program called Extreme Engineering and they were building the Donald Trump Tower, Chicago - it looks huge!
The Shard will BE the icon for London!

Great info and pictures everyone :cheers:

i hope we see some decent shots of the shard when the wedding is on tv :)

Some great shots thx.

i hope we see some decent shots of the shard when the wedding is on tv :)

I'd very much doubt you'd see anything much beyond the planned route and the Mall, they're is absolutely no need to be panning across to other parts of London :|

Could be cropped to make a fine banner, though a pity the camera wasn't pointing slightly further to the left. With apologies to xtinalamb:

http://i51.tinypic.com/108afpw.jpg

you mean like this? :)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/5579384493_faf53578de_b.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/El_Greco/SkylineGreenwich1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/El_Greco/GreenwichSkyline4.jpg

Great picture, very green

On the Cantideck / Xenas Deck issue see these

www.loadswiftinternational.com

www.xenasystems.com

This team pioneered the use of this kit !

you mean like this? :)


Yes, perfect. Whose is it?

someone i know is going to london soon so im gonna try and get them to get some photos, but in the meanwhile, todays selection of photos from flikr :)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5665169580_1ef3e355a0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bavirgo/5665169580/)
SHard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bavirgo/5665169580/) by Virgoboy (http://www.flickr.com/people/bavirgo/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5664459957_05d5ca3ace_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaymond/5664459957/)
The Shard from the Goodyear Blimp (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaymond/5664459957/) by Jay McLaughlin (http://www.flickr.com/people/jaymond/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5662757588_2128058ce3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tablehouse/5662757588/)
The Tower and The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tablehouse/5662757588/) by Tablehouse (http://www.flickr.com/people/tablehouse/), on Flickr

Like the 2nd one - very 1970's.

^off topic, but those "superhighways" are RIDICULOUS! What on earth were they thinking?! Thanks for the updates everyone.

I completely agree. I mean essentially it was a massive advert. I support the concept, it's just been executed so poorly.

This is gonna make southwark look like manhattan did in the 1930's, Not a bad thing.

Like the 2nd one - very 1970's.

agreed the cladding looks beautiful here... reflects the buildings nicely

:)

i hope we see some decent shots of the shard when the wedding is on tv :)

I'd very much doubt you'd see anything much beyond the planned route and the Mall, they're is absolutely no need to be panning across to other parts of London :|

It depends what angles they film the flypast from...

Like the 2nd one - very 1970's.

Yeah that's what I thought - looks faded. Like the photos now of old buildings under construction 30/40 years ago.

Are there any other tall buildings planned for Southwark? Will it be able to rival CW in terms of urbanity in a few years?

I'm moving to London in September (will live there for at least three years), can't wait to follow the skyline's development. Southwark (the whole borough) is perfect for skyscraper development IMO, since it's so close to the City the two skylines could merge into one. :)

"This is gonna make southwark look like manhattan did in the 1930's, Not a bad thing."

Southwark would need a few more skyscrapers and a dozen highrises first, I reckon: http://www.civil.columbia.edu/ling/others/manhattan-1930.jpg But the Shard is, of course, improving the area significantly.

It depends what angles they film the flypast from...
I saw the Shard once in the background, when the camera was focusing on the Mall then it panned upwards to show the London skyline - unfortunately there was a lot of haze around, but I saw the Shard just to the right of the London Eye. Only saw it once though, and I watched the whole thing from start to finish.

I caught it a few times. Very hazy though like you say.

Are there any other tall buildings planned for Southwark? Will it be able to rival CW in terms of urbanity in a few years?

I'm moving to London in September (will live there for at least three years), can't wait to follow the skyline's development. Southwark (the whole borough) is perfect for skyscraper development IMO, since it's so close to the City the two skylines could merge into one. :)

"This is gonna make southwark look like manhattan did in the 1930's, Not a bad thing."

Southwark would need a few more skyscrapers and a dozen highrises first, I reckon: http://www.civil.columbia.edu/ling/others/manhattan-1930.jpg But the Shard is, of course, improving the area significantly.

there is a project called " the three spires " but i think it's been mothballed or something, theres no decent renders, but i would't be suprised to see stuff rising around the shard in years to come, also i think guys is getting a re-clad.
I think they want to make a new cluster in southwark, not completely sure though, i think that's what the london bridge quarter is all about... anyway i'm rambling now haha :lol: thank you and goodnight :)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5671886130_2023dd4b73_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5671886130/)
shard today 30.4.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5671886130/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

Definately , will become one of londons landmarks , and provide a tourism boost for the area and the uk itself its estimated over 2million people per year will come to visit the shard , i definately think a well worth investment to london.

^^Interesting, looks like the cladding is barely over half height

The initial part of this landing into London City shows the Shard as is -

kDNd1o4B9qc

The initial part of this landing into London City shows the Shard as is -

kDNd1o4B9qc

My goodness I can see me taking a pic
well done!

Snatched this shot with my new Panasonic G2 from the Hayward Gallery while visiting the South Bank this afternoon for Billy Bragg's Big Busk.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110430_0013.jpg

^^ sorry didn't credit above video - jackogt off youtube

Not the best Video report in the world but i found this on yahoo on the shard:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24861156

Snatched this shot with my new Panasonic G2 from the Hayward Gallery while visiting the South Bank this afternoon for Billy Bragg's Big Busk.


That looks like a camera for a professional cybertect. Nice one. Too technical for me to get the best out of it.

I bought a Panasonic TZ18 in John Lewis yesterday (Never knowingly undersold) for £244-35. Probably could have got it slightly cheaper online somewhere but I like JL in Oxford St as in the unlikely event anything goes wrong it's easy to drop it off instore. Still reading the help files but really pleased so far. The image quality and zoom increase from my ancient 2mp Olympus is astonishing.

That looks like a camera for a professional cybertect. Nice one. Too technical for me to get the best out of it.

:)

I've been looking for a lightweight alternative to my 5D for family trips, etc.

The G2 hits a sweet spot between controls that I'm used to, a decent-ish viewfinder and compactness (I've still got my iPhone when I want something I can keep with me at all times) and I'll be able to mount lenses from my Canon FD film bodies on it once an adapter arrives.

Pretty happy with it after a weekend's use.

I've been fairly impressed with some of the shots I've seen taken with Panny's TZs. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Some of mine from Saturday 30th

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6714/shardapr302.png

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1151/shardapr301.jpg


Bonus Friday night celebration pic.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9043/shardfromroom.jpg

Loving the champagne bottle!

^^ +1 its a great detail! :)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5189/5679253751_94860e277c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edvvc/5679253751/)
Shard 2nd May (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edvvc/5679253751/) by edvvc (http://www.flickr.com/people/edvvc/), on Flickr

Gusts of wind blowing clouds of pollen, seeds and all manner of spores in the window.
Not a lot happening Shardwise recently.
http://i55.tinypic.com/notr86.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/21d0vh0.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/6pqcyp.jpg

Great one AnthonySE1!Your a pleasure to have on this forum!
Plus what a day today is! Osama Bin Laden is dead and the skyscraper world can stop being scared.
I have noticed that the Shard is so slim at the top, that if a plane hit there, it's wings will slice this building in one hit, quite a worry, they didn't think of that.:ohno:
I visited the site this morning, not much change, but no photos :(, but I will try and visit again soon.
Level 50=177.6 metres

Anyone see Private Eye's article on the proposed demolition of the lovely railway arches next to The Shard?

A snap with my G2 from the top of Leith Hill, south of Dorking in Surrey today. That's about thirty miles from the centre of London.

There's the City cluster with The Shard on the left, and Canary Wharf peeking over the top of the North Downs to the right.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110502_0010.jpg

I kind of missed the extra reach my 5D and 70-200 lens would have got me, but I didn't miss hauling the weight up to the top of the highest point in South East England :)

Anyone see Private Eye's article on the proposed demolition of the lovely railway arches next to The Shard?

Yes, I'm not convinced Piloti's got this one right as the renders I've seen retain most of them.

@Anthony

Your new TZ is doing a fine job. :)

Anyone see Private Eye's article on the proposed demolition of the lovely railway arches next to The Shard?

No. Which edition was that? The wedding special?

A few from today (using an iPhone)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5680882304_6caa056f71_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5184/5680881344_3f0452b248_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/5680318851_c5019d2994_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5680877230_b6089c5db2_b.jpg

Snaps from today - a clear and gorgeous (if blowy) day for photography. Love how that glass just keeps changing its appearance.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1866/img0373ug.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6633/img0374lj.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1027/img0385gv.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1503/img0391xb.jpg

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2475/img0403v.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/4641/img0406tq.jpg

hello! someone else was up One New Change!
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/9238/img0768f.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9872/img0786y.jpg

Can you see what I see!!
http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/7773/img0797k.jpg

I have noticed that the Shard is so slim at the top, that if a plane hit there, it's wings will slice this building in one hit, quite a worry, they didn't think of that.:ohno:
I visited the site this morning, not much change, but no photos :(, but I will try and visit again soon.
Level 50=177.6 metres

I wouldn't worry about that because in the extremely unlikely event that that happened, the only bit it could "slice" through is the radiator/spire, not the actual floors because every level with floors on has that hulking great core in the middle of it, and that could take some punishment, plus im pretty sure this building was slightly redesigned after 911 anyway to make it safe correct me if im wrong though.



EDIT: This is from Wikipedia Shard Baby

Data derived from the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse have resulted in a re-evaluation of the design of tall structures now being built globally. Shard’s early conceptual designs were among the first in the UK to be progressed following the publication of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report into the WTC collapse. The building will be designed to maintain its stability under the most onerous conditions.[21]

Photos from this afternoon.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/3199/dscf4478v.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7659/dscf4480z.jpg

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/8632/dscf4481x.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4153/dscf4482j.jpg

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/248/dscf4483r.jpg

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/5208/dscf4484y.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2307/dscf4485u.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/9811/dscf4486g.jpg

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/996/dscf4487d.jpg

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8937/dscf4488r.jpg


http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/632/dscf4490c.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3701/dscf4493w.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/121/dscf4495s.jpg

Taken in Lambeth North about a week ago
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15231152-2.jpg

Still bewildered by the thought of this completed, progress seems so slow when your viewing this forum but quick when you ignore it.

Cant wait looks amazing! , will definately take some pics when i visit london next month

Great one AnthonySE1!Your a pleasure to have on this forum!
Plus what a day today is! Osama Bin Laden is dead and the skyscraper world can stop being scared.
I have noticed that the Shard is so slim at the top, that if a plane hit there, it's wings will slice this building in one hit, quite a worry, they didn't think of that.:ohno:
I visited the site this morning, not much change, but no photos :(, but I will try and visit again soon.
Level 50=177.6 metres

hey remember WTC had a steel frame core, shard has a honking great concrete pillar in it :)

A selection of pics taken throughout the course of today. Still messing about with the new m4/3 Panasonic G2. I've been pleasantly surprised by the results with the 14-42 kit lens.

More to be found in my Shard Gallery (www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).

First thing this morning at More London

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0009.jpg


Lunch time at Queen Elizabeth Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0015.jpg


St Thomas Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0023.jpg


Backpack

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0026.jpg


West side glazing along Joiner Street, now the tower crane is gone

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0033.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0038.jpg


Peeking through the lattice of the new bridge for Thameslink 2000 that was shunted into place over Borough High Street over the holiday weekend.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0049.jpg

Wider view of the new bridge

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0046.jpg


Finishing up with a couple in this evening's glorious sunshine (shame it was still a bit parky all day).

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0060.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0063.jpg

Fantastic pictures there cybertect :). I’ll be glad when those protective sheets are no longer needed. Will make the glazing look even more wonderful.

A selection of pics taken throughout the course of today. Still messing about with the new m4/3 Panasonic G2. I've been pleasantly surprised by the results with the 14-42 kit lens.

More to be found in my Shard Gallery (www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).


Excellent shots cybertect and true colour.
I believe it will be 5 years before any trains cross that new bridge over BHS.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110503_0046.jpg


Wow - that bridge looks amazing!!

What do double red lines mean? Instant death?

I've been hoping that the little building on the right of the new bridge there is staying? Wasn't it once part of the underground station? Either way it provides a lovely contrast between old and new. Hoping it's not part of the site for London Bridge Place.

What do double red lines mean? Instant death?

:rofl:

Osama Bin Laden is dead and the skyscraper world can stop being scared.

Sadly the death of osama will do nothing to stop the threat of terrorism in London- if anything, it will just make it worse.

I had not heard anything about that bridge before, a bit of a pleasent suprise for me.

No diagram today, as it is being redesigned.
I saw that bridge go up on my last visit on Monday.:)
But had no camera:(
Can anyone give me more detail about what the back pack wall is for and what it will look like, so I can put it in my diagram please?

Nice weather for an update from BT Tower

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5687948906_6bffc93b64_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5263/5687390011_4d59d97383_b.jpg

Great pics. Cheers.

I saw that new bridge the other day... is it double decker?

It looked like it had 2 layers.

What do double red lines mean? Instant death?
No stopping, at all, ever.

Unless you're a taxi. Or a royal mail van. Or you've got your hazard lights on. Grrrrr.

I was looking at this tower from various spots in south-east London this afternoon/evening. I say, without doubt, that it'll blow away every other skyscraper in London, complete or proposed.

Though incomplete, its form and the way it caught the sunlight was extraordinary. This photo doesn't do it justice, so you'll have to trust me on this one:


http://i55.tinypic.com/24zkgmq.jpg



I saw that new bridge the other day... is it double decker?

It looked like it had 2 layers.

Its single decker.

It will handle rail traffic to and from Charing Cross :)

FROM ONE NEW CHANGE

http://i52.tinypic.com/opyit.jpg

Never really made my mind up on 1NC's cladding... Nevertheless a great picture, I always love the contrst with cannon street station! :)

That is such a cool view. I really have to get up to One New Change...

Anyhow, as it was sunny today I thought I'd go out and take some more pictures (it could be a busy summer). Here's a few of them.

The rest are up in my Shard Gallery (http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).

First up, on my way into work this morning I took advantage of the sun on the northern side of the building.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0006.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0012.jpg


As luck would have it, an FD to Micro 4/3 adapter arrived on my desk at work about 11am. This lets me use all the thirty-year-old manual-focus lenses from my Canon FD film cameras on the shiny new digital Panasonic G2. So, the real reason I went out was to try it out. Because the m4/3 sensor is half the size of a frame of 35mm film, for example my FD 70-210mm f/4 zoom effectively becomes a 140-420mm lens, which means I can zoom in a lot closer than I can with the 5D I usually use.

Enough of the technical jabber... I had a tremendous amount of fun :D

East side from Tooley Street. Note the glazing on the concrete frame. First time I've seen it on this side of the building. It wasn't there yesterday and I don't think it was there this morning.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0045.jpg


From Snowsfields

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0063.jpg


Backpack and Mini-Backpack glazing from St Thomas Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0067.jpg


St Thomas Street hoist (I don't get bored with this for some reason)

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0080.jpg


Construction workers by Gate 2

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0081.jpg


Some glazing details on the NW corner

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0102.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0103.jpg


The crease

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0115.jpg


Evening descends at More London

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0173.jpg


Detail view of the new station concourse roof where it's visible by platform 13

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0178.jpg

I remember aaages ago it was debated whether the Shard will look taller than it is or shorter than it is because it's gets thinner at the top.

I believe that because really high buildings seem to get smaller at the top as you look up at then from ground level because because of the curvature of your eye and what not. (I'm not a geologist so I don't know the exact science)

http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/5281/5281,1112889008,2/stock-photo-looking-up-a-skyscraper-to-blue-sky-264914.jpg

Then, due to a life time of experience we can judge how high things are. This will only be exaggerated by the tapering of the Shard... making it look much higher than 310m from ground level.



An SSC mate of mine who I went to London with the other day could not believe it was only 240m high with 70m left to go. He sad the tower was, '10 out of 10'. Which was quite something coming from a London hating Mancunian.

Here's a french video guys:

video/xi2uyo_nouveau-gratte-ciel-a-londres-performance-ou-tache-dans-le-paysage_news

Great pics Cybertect :)

because of the curvature of your eye and what not. (I'm not a geologist so I don't know the exact science)

Stunning...

It's known as the vanishing point. If you stand in the middle of a street such as in New York City and look down it you will see that everything "vanishes" into a single point off in the distance.

Whether the fact that the Shard's a triangular structure affects its "soar" effect, I don't know.

Amazing to see the difference in slenderness looking from Snowsfields (East) and the North side.

Glad you had fun taking these Rob :D.

Here's a french video guys:

video/xi2uyo_nouveau-gratte-ciel-a-londres-performance-ou-tache-dans-le-paysage_news

Gah! The debate on whether the Shard impinges upon St. Paul's has even made its way to France!

from One Tree Hill at Honor Oak Park..

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0759.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/IMG_2705.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/IMG_2738.JPG

from One Tree Hill at Honor Oak Park..


Now, I'm not an easily-fooled man...I can quite clearly tell that there is more than just one tree on that hill!

jayo, your photo number 6 on the previous page is my favourite picture of the shard to date.

and thank you also to cybertech, for taking your expertise around my running tracks. You can get absolutely magnificent views from those Surrey Hills and ive often wished i had a suitably powerful lens.

reason for editing: thread moves too fast.

I saw that new bridge the other day... is it double decker?

It looked like it had 2 layers.

You probably saw it before it was dropped into position (on Monday, I think).

I believe that because really high buildings seem to get smaller at the top as you look up at then from ground level because because of the curvature of your eye and what not. (I'm not a geologist so I don't know the exact science)

I'm not sure whether you meant geometrist or optometrist there - it has nothing to do with rocks. High buildings seem smaller at the top because the further away things are, the smaller they look. :lol:

I'm not sure whether you meant geometrist or optometrist there - it has nothing to do with rocks. High buildings seem smaller at the top because the further away things are, the smaller they look. :lol:

I try not to be a pendant, but a geologist studies rocks not a geometrist who studies angles.

:shifty:

off topic post, but aren't there any benches/seating on One New Change's rooftop? Great viewpoint but seems they could spruce it up a bit with greenery etc!

http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2011/05/balancing-on-the-empire-state/

You think that's off-topic, try this. Not the Shard, not even London. But Shard watchers will be interested to see how things have changed in 80 years. Turns your ankles to jelly, I promise.

While I'm here, thanks for the pic of the new railway bridge, in addition to the usual Cybertect specials.

I try not to be a pendant, but a geologist studies rocks not a geometrist who studies angles.

Exactly. eddyk said "geologist", which has nothing to do with the tapering effect of skyscrapers, so I was wondering if he'd meant to say geometrist (because of the angles in play) or optometrist (because he mentioned the curvature of the eye).

Do keep up.

very hazy and far away but hopefully a new angle:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5687656213_13025beafe_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687656213/)
Shard April 2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687656213/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

one more:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5688236650_556d717f60_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688236650/)
London Skyline 2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688236650/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

Thames Barrier and Shard:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5688303648_9e8fcee7ae_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688303648/)
Thames Barrier and Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688303648/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5687738029_8005ab0d1c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687738029/)
Thames Barrier and Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687738029/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

Sorry for the quality, shot from E&C:

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae264/SavResta/27012011128.jpg

I remember aaages ago it was debated whether the Shard will look taller than it is or shorter than it is because it's gets thinner at the top.

I believe that because really high buildings seem to get smaller at the top as you look up at then from ground level because because of the curvature of your eye and what not. (I'm not a geologist so I don't know the exact science)

http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/5281/5281,1112889008,2/stock-photo-looking-up-a-skyscraper-to-blue-sky-264914.jpg

Then, due to a life time of experience we can judge how high things are. This will only be exaggerated by the tapering of the Shard... making it look much higher than 310m from ground level.



An SSC mate of mine who I went to London with the other day could not believe it was only 240m high with 70m left to go. He sad the tower was, '10 out of 10'. Which was quite something coming from a London hating Mancunian. It was me that made the suggestion - only to get a load of abuse from some idiot.

It stands to reason that its going to look taller because it tapers. Advantage of this effect is used commonly in film studios to make things look bigger than they are.

It was me that made the suggestion - only to get a load of abuse from some idiot.

It stands to reason that its going to look taller because it tapers. Advantage of this effect is used commonly in film studios to make things look bigger than they are.

It is also used in Video Games as well, who was the idiot?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61729966@N05/5690522119/
Last night from that tower next to Westminster.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61729966@N05/5691101670/

Sorry my images aren't coming through for some reason. Here are the direct links:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61729966@N05/5691101670/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61729966@N05/5690522119/

Sorry for the quality, shot from E&C:

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae264/SavResta/27012011128.jpg

My nan and grandad lived there:banana:

Article from tonights ES on the Shard

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23946846-the-shard-effect-on-london.do

from One Tree Hill at Honor Oak Park..
http://web.me.com/benveasey/IMG_2705.jpg

Has the top of the Guy's always been like that?

Four views from a lunch time wander round Bermondsey.

Jamaica Road

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110505_0024.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110505_0026.jpg


Enid Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110505_0055.jpg


Riley Road

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110505_0061.jpg

what a beauty this thing is.

The Shard effect on London

-- Link to London Evening Standard article (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23946846-the-shard-effect-on-london.do) --

The Shard, which at 310m (1,017ft) will be Europe's tallest building, has been the focus of agonised reflection as it takes shape, in advance of its completion next year. Is it too big? Is it too ugly? Does it interfere with protected views across London?

But critics' worries about how the skyscraper will affect the view of St Paul's Cathedral from their favourite bench on Primrose Hill don't mean much to the people of Bermondsey. The Shard is about to bring transformational change to the area, unimaginable a decade ago, and will decisively push the tide of gentrification southwards, away from the river towards the heart of Bermondsey.

No single building will have had such a significant effect on a London neighbourhood since 1 Canada Square landed in Docklands in 1991, and the Shard effect will arguably beat even that because of its proximity to London's most central ungentrified residential neighbourhoods of Bermondsey and Elephant and Castle.

The Shard's influence already extends beyond the boundaries of its site, and Southwark council is bullish about making Bermondsey what Fiona Colley, council cabinet member for regeneration, calls "London's third business district", after the City and the West End. It is not the first to try this brand on for size (the last one I remember was Croydon), but there are several developments beyond the Shard itself that make it feel possible.

The Shard's little brother, The Place, also to be built by Shard developer Sellar Properties, will contain 40,000 sq uare metres of office space. The £120 million building, designed by Renzo Piano, architect of the Shard, will create a new public plaza and bus terminal between itself and London Bridge station. The £700 million redevelopment of the station itself has just been announced by Network Rail and will see a radical transformation of the listed terminus, masterminded by WSP and architect Grimshaw (who designed Waterloo's now defunct international terminal). Guy's Hospital has announced the recladding of its concrete tower that sits just to the south of the Shard, and multiple developments are proposed for St Thomas' Street, Bermondsey Street, and further south towards the Elephant. All this during a recession in the property industry.

James Sellar, CEO of Sellar Properties, is aware of the effect of his brainchild: "It is not just what we're delivering now but what we're opening up. In the London Bridge quarter we are trying to create a cosmopolitan area, which means getting the balance right between mixed-use buildings and local character."

So what will the area look like in five years? The view from the Shard's supporters is pretty clear.

The streets will be full of shops, the place will be more fashionable, more disposable income will be extracted from the office workers at the More London office development and the Shard, and the transformation of the station will make it a more pleasant place to commute through. Local people in Bermondsey will benefit, say Sellar Properties and the council, from new jobs in facilities management and the hotel industry.

In terms of the physical effect, it will be St Thomas' Street that changes most. This is the street where the south face of the Shard comes to ground, and is today the boundary between the brave new world of City Hall and More London by the river, and the hinterland of Bermondsey that is dominated by social housing. The "skirts" of the Shard will hang over the street at the tower's base, and the reception area for the hotel and restaurants will be located here. Escalators will take travellers up to the new bus station and the first-floor concourse level of the station.

Walking further east along St Thomas' Street you will reach the 1830s polychrome brick arches of the original viaduct but now with glass openings to a new ground-level route through to Tooley Street. This internal link will contain around 100,000 sq ft of shopping (comparable in size to the mall at St Pancras International) and a bank of escalators taking passengers up to platform level.

Further along St Thomas' Street will be a motley assortment of residential buildings, some with architectural ambition, others with mere pretension. Many of these will be taller than anything now in Bermondsey. The first, called The Quill, already has planning permission despite harsh criticism of its design from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. The question for Southwark council will be whether this and the other buildings emerging on St Thomas' Street will offer anything more at ground level than space for a cheap supermarket.

Some of the railway arches further along the viaduct will eventually be occupied with cafés and shops. Press further south and you'll find the Bermondsey Street conservation area more or less as it is today, complemented by Jay Jopling's huge new White Cube gallery outpost, which received planning permission last month.

Along the northern edge of the station is Tooley Street, a road that has already been transformed over the past decade and is today a rather weird mélange of cheesy tourist attractions (the London Dungeon), service sector corporate utopia (More London and City Hall) with a backdrop composed of the dignified remnants of the area's past: warehouses and offices once concerned with freight and transport along the Thames.

The most significant change observable on Tooley Street will be the demolition of the Southwestern Railway Office to make way for the northern entrance of the new London Bridge station concourse. This building has struggled to find uses in recent years, but most recently the arches behind it have been used to great effect by Southwark Playhouse. The building, and some arches, will be sacrificed for a new, grand entrance for the station facing More London.

Bill Price, director of WSP, the firm in charge of the works at the station, says: "The massive change that people will see is that there will be fewer terminating tracks. It's all about unlocking Thameslink capacity to Waterloo East and Blackfriars."

This justification explains the demolition of the entire train shed at London Bridge and its replacement with a Shard-friendly glass roof. It also explains the widening of the viaduct above Borough Market.

The evacuation of Southwark Playhouse (it will get a new home in Elephant and Castle) from the arches and the disappearance of arts organisations like Shunt (which occupied arches under the station between 2004 and 2010) from the area is the most significant indictment of the changes at the foot of the Shard. This is not because these organisations are uniquely valuable, but because regeneration of this kind tends to edit out, clean up and demolish the kinds of spaces that they find so conducive to their work. Tooley Street will be poorer for it, more dedicated to tourists and with less for the local population.

Councillor Colley says she wants the Shard's ripples to spread widely to Borough High Street and beyond: "Lots of landowners [on Borough High Street] aren't willing to invest the money that's needed; the pavements aren't wide enough and Transport for London needs to address that. I want to see regeneration at the top of Borough High Street going down past the station to Elephant and Castle."

My view, though, is that Borough High Street will stubbornly refuse to gentrify at the same pace as Tooley Street and St Thomas' Street and will remain a busy, slightly down-at-heel place with few of the typical high street chains. The night-time economy here will serve students and the citizens of Bermondsey. I suspect those working, living and staying in the Shard will find their natural habitat on Bermondsey Street, browsing gastropubs and galleries.

The concerns of residents, though, according to the newly founded Bermondsey Neighbourhood Forum, are the usual ones of local jobs and housing for poorer people who have grown up here and do not want to move.

Local architect and forum member Hari Phillips says: "People know there are development sites and they know that the Shard will have a knock-on effect, but I think there is a sense that this has been imposed on us. There ought to be more control from the bottom up." He points to issues from the redistribution of Section 106 money - the compulsory contribution developers make to public projects as part of the planning agreement, much of which in this case has been ploughed into the station redevelopment rather than affordable housing - the proposed demolition of historic buildings, and the height of proposed towers on St Thomas' Street.

What the forum can achieve to address these concerns remains to be seen - it is one of the vanguard organisations formed to enact the principles of the Localism Bill and will be a tough testbed for those ideas.

But the forum seems sensitive, as are so many of London's residents, to what regeneration really means in areas like Bermondsey. It means importing new, richer demographic groups through developments like the Shard and hoping that some of their wealth will trickle down into the surrounding area.

The Shard is an unprecedented building, but if its effect is to help people already living in Bermondsey, it will need to add another dimension to its engagement with the streets around it.

Latest diagram:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5693798364_ddfe29a4bb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5693798364/)
shard today 6.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5693798364/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

Looks likes , its developing nicely cannot wait to see the finished product in 2012 should add a bit of a a sparkle to london , and somewhere that isnt directed in view of the london skyline. London shouldnt have all major skyscrapers all in one area i think where its placed will definately add and hopefully jolt up some future investments/developments to the other parts of london.

Amazin shots on flickr just found:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5691779064_82b3d36f3a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonworkman/5691779064/)
_ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonworkman/5691779064/) by jon.workman (http://www.flickr.com/people/jonworkman/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5690752105_a259b507a0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44639544@N00/5690752105/)
The Shard and London Bridge from Isle of Dogs (http://www.flickr.com/photos/44639544@N00/5690752105/) by james_rawimages (http://www.flickr.com/people/44639544@N00/), on Flickr

-- Link to London Evening Standard article (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23946846-the-shard-effect-on-london.do) --


Some of the Readers' Comments on there are enough to make you weep.

@Sheps

Herons side profile looks fantastic in that first shot :0 it looks great/messy depending which angle you look at it...

@wjfox

Tall buildings the future? Surely they are the PAST! Pointy glass and metal towers: wow, how original is that?!
Despite the nonsense about "footprints", these buildings are all completely unsustainable (this one doesn't even use thermal glass), which flies in the face of all the Mayor's much-vaunted carbon-reduction targets for London. And, anyway, how can the "international building", which pays no heed to location, climate, demographs or even USE be a good thing for anybody? The skyline in London is getting duller and uglier by the day, and building after building is designed to use expensive energy-intensive resources (metal and glass), but for average lifetimes of less than 20 years. Surely I am not the only person who longs for the appearance of some truly creative young architects who don't think of themselves as "sculptors" (please leave that to the artists!), but who take pride in being able to construct using proven materials such as timber and stone and brick (no, not cladding), and produce buildings that work for their users, instead of demanding Building Management Systems and Facilities Managers that invariably fail? Oh, for an opening window to let in the fresh air according to the season, and natural lighting without glare... and, oh, for a new building designed to be usable over the LONG term, whatever the future brings...

- RP, London, 06/05/2011 11:38
Report abuse


What a complete idiot!

Left taken with 2mp 10 year Olympus, and on the right taken with a Lumix 14.1mp. Unimpressed!
Mind you I think the Lumix iA mode tries too hard to adjust to different light conditions, or more likely I need to take a crash photography course to learn how to use it properly.
The inventor of the Joby Gorillapod is a genius.. Hope he made a fortune.

http://i55.tinypic.com/14waqzd.jpg

^^ To me the Lumix looks more clear and colour is more realistic. Maybe our king of Photography, 'cybertect' will express his opinion :).

Nikon cameras are the best DSLRs alongside with Canon cameras.

Amazin shots on flickr just found:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5691779064_82b3d36f3a_b.jpg

Is the world really round as in this picture or did you work with a special objective/glass?

I quite like this aerial shot which shows massing including NEO -

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5634909141_06c24c91c8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmoores/5634909141/)
Central London From the Air (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmoores/5634909141/) by Captain Snaps' (http://www.flickr.com/people/drmoores/), on Flickr

King? Er... :D

Anyhow, to my eye the increase in resolution is readily apparent. Allowing for JPEG compression, the TZ is as sharp as I'd expect. The top of the frame on the Olympus shot in particular is quite poorly defined. I expect that's down to the lens as much as anything else.

I'm assuming these are scaled down from the full photo. If you were to zoom to 100% size I'm sure the difference would be much more noticeable.

The TZ18 has got better colour. It's perhaps a little on the cool side, but the Olympus has read the scene very warm and the TZ's rendition is much more accurate rendering of the glass's colour.

As noted in the caption, the light is pretty poor. No camera is going to improve that much.

Cheers cybertect. As you say the 100% images are pretty good, it'a all the tinkering and jpegery I do that reduces the quality. Might use flickr in future.
Sorry everyone, I won't mention cameras on this thread again.
http://i52.tinypic.com/33my9hz.jpg

great shot!

The cladding really looks superb!

why's there 4 pieces of cladding missing? on the lower floors?

Some more lovely shots off Flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/5696461199_021836a71d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennis_lance/5696461199/)
P1020047 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennis_lance/5696461199/) by Dennis Lance (http://www.flickr.com/people/dennis_lance/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/5694229880_31bc68704c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hydepodcorner/5694229880/)
Sunset On The River (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hydepodcorner/5694229880/) by Mr Hyde (http://www.flickr.com/people/hydepodcorner/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/5696065704_491f94c33e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djnorwood/5696065704/)
Hampstead, England, 2011 (2 of 3).jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djnorwood/5696065704/) by longboy74 (http://www.flickr.com/people/djnorwood/), on Flickr

Cheers cybertect. As you say the 100% images are pretty good, it'a all the tinkering and jpegery I do that reduces the quality. Might use flickr in future.
Sorry everyone, I won't mention cameras on this thread again.
http://i52.tinypic.com/33my9hz.jpg

Pollarded platanus acerifolia tree, the London Plane, you can tell from the mottled bark, the oldest in London I think are in Berkeley Square, planted over 200 years ago. Nice building in the background. :)

Some more lovely shots off Flickr:



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/5696065704_491f94c33e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djnorwood/5696065704/)
Hampstead, England, 2011 (2 of 3).jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djnorwood/5696065704/) by longboy74 (http://www.flickr.com/people/djnorwood/), on Flickr

That would be a great shot if the bloke in the blue wasn't there. Good find Mossy :okay:.

Left taken with 2mp 10 year Olympus, and on the right taken with a Lumix 14.1mp. Unimpressed! Mind you I think the Lumix iA mode tries too hard to adjust to different light conditions, or more likely I need to take a crash photography course to learn how to use it properly. The inventor of the Joby Gorillapod is a genius.. Hope he made a fortune.


I took these pics from other side of river with new Lumix FS-37 and i used iA mode too. I thought it would be a great camera but i was so disappointed with the results so i simply returned it :ohno: ... i personally think that iA mode is not so nice to use all the time as it can't classify the environment condition properly, no?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5697604502_136d85af46_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2162/5697085531_b252c46c49_b.jpg

i personally think that iA mode is not so nice to use all the time as it can't classify the environment condition properly, no?

I've not used it on my G2, but I've never really trusted program autoexposure. I prefer Aperture Priority or full manual control.

I've never used Program mode in five years of ownership of my 5D either, FWIW.

[/offtopic]

I quite like this aerial shot which shows massing including NEO -

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5634909141_06c24c91c8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmoores/5634909141/)
Central London From the Air (http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmoores/5634909141/) by Captain Snaps' (http://www.flickr.com/people/drmoores/), on Flickr
Hmmm for the first time I can really picture the City of London's building proportions being dragged over to extend to the south side of the Thames. Along with the Shard, there is also Beetham and others to go in that view.

Latest diagram:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5693798364_ddfe29a4bb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5693798364/)
shard today 6.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5693798364/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

Ooh, you've completely redrawn it!

Nikon cameras are the best DSLRs alongside with Canon cameras.

Totally agree. This is why one or the other are generally used by professional photographers.

That would be a great shot if the bloke in the blue wasn't there. Good find Mossy :okay:.

Oh, I don't know....

A pic i took a few weeks ago but never posted.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9832/1ncwankas.jpg

What floor we up to at present please ?

From Clerkenwell Road
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture152315394.jpg

^^ Two of London's finest in one shot, amazing :cheers:

What floor we up to at present please ?


55/56

Pollarded platanus acerifolia tree, the London Plane, you can tell from the mottled bark, the oldest in London I think are in Berkeley Square, planted over 200 years ago. Nice building in the background. :)

This forum is so educational and informative.
After reading above I found myself checking out the trees on the way home this morning to identify any 'Pollarded platanus acerifolia'. They all seem to be cut back severely for some horticultural reason.

This forum is so educational and informative.
After reading above I found myself checking out the trees on the way home this morning to identify any 'Pollarded platanus acerifolia'. They all seem to be cut back severely for some horticultural reason.

The clue is in the name! Pollarding is the name for cutting back. They do it to maintain the tree at the same size.

My birthday today!:dance:
Got a CASIO EX-H5 Exilim camera, when I figure out how to use it I will have a visit to site on Saturday.
Yesterday I can confirm you can see the Shard from Box Hill.

^^ Happy Birthday

The clue is in the name! Pollarding is the name for cutting back. They do it to maintain the tree at the same size.

Pollarding, pruning, coppicing, it's all so confusing.:nuts:

Congrats the Shard Baby!!!!!

Happy birthday TSB! :)

April - early May progess

http://makeagif.com/media/5-09-2011/xRtHIG.gif

Cheers london_marcus, it’s hard to judge progress on a day to day basis. That really puts it all in perspective :)

April - early May progess

that corner edge needs to be sorted.

Pollard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvNYMz-Pf_M) :hahano:

oh, and happy birthday TSB!

Back to business... a selection of my photos taken today - the rest may be found in my Shard Gallery (http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).


First thing I noticed on my way through London Bridge station this morning was that they've opened up another section of the new concourse roof.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0003.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0107.jpg


Caught some nice light on the north side on the walk to work along Tooley Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0012.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0019.jpg


Lunch time and it's the view from Queen Elizabeth Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0027.jpg


Three levels of glazing on the north side of the concrete section now.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0042.jpg


There was some interesting looking steelwork being put on the top of the Backpack

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0047.jpg


A couple of views of the slipform rig from Snowsfields and Weston Street respectively

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0052.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0063.jpg


A wider view from Weston Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0064.jpg


Picking out some glazing...

The south side from Great Maze Pond

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0068.jpg


The western side from Joiner Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0092.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0096.jpg

Happy birthday TSB you deserve success:drunk:
Looking at the slipform on Cybertects photos it looks like they may have some problem with part of it. It never has sections failing to keep up more than one floor and why are there safety nets under just those two sections? Needed for those trying to sort out the problem? Oh the speculation! :nuts:

Is it for the spire that was once proposed?

Back to business... a selection of my photos taken today - the rest may be found in my Shard Gallery (http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/v/architecture/london/shard/).

There was some interesting looking steelwork being put on the top of the Backpack

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110509_0047.jpg

A couple of views of the slipform rig from Snowsfields and Weston Street respectively


That G2 is doing rather nicley, cracking shots, but that isn't a slipform rig really is it ? Yes it's slipping up the building but I think it is just stopping people falling off and actually hiding the real formwork from us.

If only they'd had the foresight to build Guys three times as tall so we could still look down on the action.... :nuts:

Is it for the spire that was once proposed?

:lol: I doubt that. It's more likely to be the base for the building maintenance unit :).

Pollard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvNYMz-Pf_M) :hahano:

oh, and happy birthday TSB!

Pollard (http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/aug2008/6/6/9C58A669-B1BD-B145-C2BB5BF265878F26.jpg)

Happy birthday TSB you deserve success:drunk:
Looking at the slipform on Cybertects photos it looks like they may have some problem with part of it. It never has sections failing to keep up more than one floor and why are there safety nets under just those two sections? Needed for those trying to sort out the problem? Oh the speculation! :nuts:

i think they where in the process of raising it that's all :)

Is it for the spire that was once proposed?

Its the lift support, surely?

Its the lift support, surely?

Looks suspciously like a crane base me, interesting if it is

Looks suspciously like a crane base me, interesting if it is

Mystery solved. It is :)

About half an hour ago

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110510_0007.jpg

100% crop

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110510_0007-crop.jpg

TC8.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110510_0007-crop.jpg
[Cybertects pic repeated due to new page]

It's more likely to be the base for the building maintenance unit :).

Well I stand corrected. I didn't expect that ^^ at all.

Well I stand corrected. I didn't expect that ^^ at all.

TC7 to follow shortly. Watch this space...

TC7 to follow shortly. Watch this space...

Im guessing that TC8 will be used to fill the gap where the TC currently next to it now stands? or complete the work to the back Pack??

Where is TC7 going to go?

Im guessing that TC8 will be used to fill the gap where the TC currently next to it now stands? or complete the work to the back Pack??

Where is TC7 going to go?

Correct in both instances...

TC7 will sit on a cantilevered frame projecting out of the building from levels 54-56. Level 54 will be poured this week.

Took a few on the way home this afternoon and used the Picasa Random Collage. (Massively compressed)

http://i56.tinypic.com/10cn1pj.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/2cqlog9.jpg

Correct in both instances...

TC7 will sit on a cantilevered frame projecting out of the building from levels 54-56. Level 54 will be poured this week.

Sounds like a bit of engineering, look forward to seeing that. Dare I ask how you will then get that one down?

Presumably that will replace the core crane once the top section is installed?

http://i53.tinypic.com/2q9f1bb.jpg

Correct in both instances...

TC7 will sit on a cantilevered frame projecting out of the building from levels 54-56. Level 54 will be poured this week.

I imagine it will be very similar to this as used on 1WTC:

http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/18573/903767-T800600.jpg
By NYguy on the 1WTC thread.

I see now, a crane attached t o the building rather than having a core crane swinging around all day.
Latest diagram, with TC8:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/5707770601_127d634b4d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5707770601/)
shard today 10.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5707770601/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

shard did look good at night at the end of the apprentice

Some sexy shots of the Shard on the Apprentice!

Some sexy shots of the Shard on the Apprentice!

haha, snap!

haha, snap!

God damn you!

The view from Alexandra Palace is fantastic. You can see all from the Olympic park through Canary Wharf, the City and the Shard.

Great opportunity for stitching panorama. I would take some photos, but the quality on my iPhone is appalling.

I am required to watch it by mrs c. Worth it for that at the end, though :)

Anyhow, three pics taken on Tower Bridge during a lunch time wander over the river.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110510_0013.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110510_0017.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110510_0020.jpg

The view from Alexandra Palace is fantastic. You can see all from the Olympic park through Canary Wharf, the City and the Shard.

Great opportunity for stitching panorama. I would take some photos, but the quality on my iPhone is appalling.

Gets a sighting in the titles for The Apprentice - as well as a nice view of Heron's spire

nice view from the top of stratar on channel 5 tonight supersize grime

Also next weeks Gadget Show..
Remember that Blimp we all saw a few weeks ago?
well turns out that presenter John Bentley was taking snaps from it reviewing the best cameras.
The Shard will feature prominently!!

:banana:

How dare he take cool pics of Shardy and not put some up on here.

I will not miss to watch it....http://freeimagestocks.com/content/14/grey.png

How dare he take cool pics of Shardy and not put some up on here.

I'm sure PortoNuts will find a way to post them on the International thread... :)

Has anyone noticed that in the evening light the cladding makes the shard look so futuristic? I assume it must be the angle of the glass but it really makes it have an amazing aura as if it's alien to the surrounding buildings. I tried to grab a few photos tonight on my iPhone but it's not the best of quality. Maybe someone with more talent and better camera (Cybertect) can try and capture the scene prior to sunset :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/5707930129_257d26727f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/5707931409_d2a890c1c2_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/5707930905_aec32f0b4a_b.jpg

Has anyone noticed that in the evening light the cladding makes the shard look so futuristic?

Yes absolutely. At the moment it's only half glazed but it's gives you a great idea of how it will look come Autumn time. It wont look like any scraper in London, almost unique.

Gets a sighting in the titles for The Apprentice - as well as a nice view of Heron's spire

You can tell when they are using old stock film of city now. Notice they used it a few times without the Shard and Heron. :banana:

You can tell when they are using old stock film of city now. Notice they used it a few times without the Shard and Heron. :banana:

Andrew Marr - Topical news programme. Pretends to have live background but doesn't have a Heron Tower. Grrrr.

http://www.shr3k.com/am.bmp

SE corner Xena DECK just gone up 4 floors
http://i55.tinypic.com/2yowkkl.jpg

I found The Shard making a nice backdrop for this snap of a clock across the river on St Mary-at-Hill in EC3 :)

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110510_0057.jpg

I know Cybertect has posted a few pictures from inside London bridge looking up at the Shard but you really have to go in and see it for yourself. It is an awesome sight!

One problem that I noticed last night around 6.30pm was the sun reflecting being so bright at ground level in certain places that you cannot actually look up. Maybe it was just the exact time of day but a possible design issue? Must be hard for the bus drivers/taxi drivers et al.

As of , a few weeks ago its now officially the tallest building in the uk , as its core past one canada square. Looks great.

Andrew Marr - Topical news programme. Pretends to have live background but doesn't have a Heron Tower. Grrrr.

http://www.shr3k.com/am.bmp

I know I've always thought that! Wasn't sure whether from that angle that it was just out of view behind 42 or something so I'm glad I wasn't the only one! I really wanted to tell them to update it but then I found myself feeling like one of those sad idiots that write into Points Of View who have nothing better to do with their lives!!!

^^ :rofl:

Some sexy shots of the Shard on the Apprentice!

shard did look good at night at the end of the apprentice

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3412/theshardapprentice.jpg

Imagine next years Apprentice!

As of , a few weeks ago its now officially the tallest building in the uk , as its core past one canada square. Looks great.

??? I swear the core stopped moving more than a few weeks ago

??? I swear the core stopped moving more than a few weeks ago

Doesn't matter anyway, this thing isn't tallest anything until it's finished.

Is there a thread for this neighbouring project? It looks to be about the same height as the Shard's rucksack...

http://www.tpbennett.com/portfolio/project_profile/88

That's the old design for the redevelopment of London Bridge Station. It's not proceeding with the TP Bennet scheme.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=320395

^ Thanks. I prefer the new scheme!

As of , a few weeks ago its now officially the tallest building in the uk , as its core past one canada square. Looks great.

It has been the tallest since the core topped out before christmas.

Is there a thread for this neighbouring project? It looks to be about the same height as the Shard's rucksack...

http://www.tpbennett.com/portfolio/project_profile/88

The Shard doesn't have a "rucksack". This is London - it is a Louis Vuitton shoulder bag!

Doesn't matter anyway, this thing isn't tallest anything until it's finished.
So if construction of the Shard suddenly stopped forever (not that it will happen), One Canada Square would still be considered London's tallest even though the Shard is taller now? Could the Shard be considered "complete" if it was confirmed that construction would never start up again and it would be left as it is now?

The Shard doesn't have a "rucksack". This is London - it is a Louis Vuitton shoulder bag!

Amazing. Love this. And love the updates, thanks guys.

If the Shard stopped I would guess it would be classed as a self supporting structure and not a building so would be beaten by a certain radio mast up Norf'

If the Shard stopped I would guess it would be classed as a self supporting structure and not a building so would be beaten by a certain radio mast up Norf'

;) Emley Moor <3

Oh please guys don't start that one off again! :lol:

Oh please guys don't start that one off again! :lol:

You having flashbacks too? ;)

It has been the tallest since the core topped out before christmas.

it wont be recorded as tallest until its officially completed (so that incomplete shells dont sit in the record books), so all these discussions of height are always moot!

Three from lunch time along the river Thames from Bermondsey to Rotherhithe...

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110512_0067.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110512_0039.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110512_0035.jpg

wow they are firing on with that cladding it's almost at the top !

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7999/61095777.png

2 Images I took showing how the dust has affected the cladding.

I can't wait till it's finished and given a good polishing... it will look stunning.

Wow, there is quite a big effect. Still fab though

^^ It's going to be pure magic once that glass is clean! Y'know progress seems really slow with the concrete floors though I was blown away on the bus earlier when I saw how many floors the shard has risen since January!

Great pictures, I refresh this page on an hourly basis :lol:

A little follow-up on my earlier post... Taken at lunch time today with a Panasonic G2 and a thirty year old manual focus Canon lens.

View full size (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybertect/5713892095/sizes/o/in/photostream/) (3865 x 800)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2677/5713892095_09fbfdc0fa_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybertect/5713892095/)
Rotherhithe Panorama (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cybertect/5713892095/) by cybertect (http://www.flickr.com/people/cybertect/), on Flickr

I'm trying to extrapolate the progress to try and figure out where it will be when I'm next in London on 6 August. I imagine there should be steelwork above the top of the core, and most of the cladding in place...?

I see now, a crane attached t o the building rather than having a core crane swinging around all day.
Latest diagram, with TC8:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3573/5707770601_127d634b4d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5707770601/)
shard today 10.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5707770601/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

Have a look at the shard baby's diagram, the floors are going up by around a floor a week so I would say it will be around mid october before the floors reach the top of the core...

Have a look at the shard baby's diagram, the floors are going up by around a floor a week so I would say it will be around mid october before the floors reach the top of the core...

I think late August is more likely. I'm sure ffinybryn said they were pouring floor 54 earlier this week, so that is 15 floors approx to go. 15 floors = 15 weeks not taking into account any speeding up due to the shrinking floor plate size!

Does anyone know if floor 52 is peaking out below the screens yet? It will be interesting to see if they have poured a concrete box for the swimming pool. I think it will be on the north side.:)

Yeah I think the pool will be on the North side, overlooking the City :). They've started raising the screens.

We should ask ffinybryn to post the development's Gantt chart ;).