Two very significant structures as far as the history of London goes. There are many others proposed/approved/under-construction etcetera, but these two signify a brave change.

The Shard:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/London_bridge_tower.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=407549

http://www.shardlondonbridge.com/

Bishopsgate Tower:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/London_skyline_2012_large.jpg/791px-London_skyline_2012_large.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=375557

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishopsgate_Tower

I know this is a little off the topic, but while we're on london... Could anyone post a rendering of Swiss re compared to cp1 in brissie. Because I left Bris recently to come live in london, and I know that they're of a similar hight (about 4m difference in memory serves), but swiss re seems HUGE in real life compared to cp1, but I don't know whether this is just down to lack of other highrises in london, or whether its mass is actually bigger...cheers...

By the way LOVE both these projects in london! I'm so excited I get to see them both go up!! esp. the shard! I'd love it in brissie (as I've said on here a number of times) over near roma street-ish. I reckon it would complement vision perfectly!!

Absolutely wonderful. I love it how most of London's new towers are so original, the skyline will look fantastic when they are finnished, so futuristic.

I agree. London has not really had many skyscrapers in the past but these news ones looks so different to any other building on Earth.

...But very smilar to those on Reigel 7. I actually prefer Bishopsgate to the Shard, both designs are awesome and despite Bishopsgate being reduced in height I think it'll turn out better than LBT. LBT will get more attention due to it's isolation from the main cluster and it's presence.

Btw, in case anyone didn't know, the Bishopsgate tower has very recently secured crucial funding from an assortment of Middle Eastern investors, so it now looks almost certain that both Bish and the Shard will be going up!!

Unfortunetly, as with quite a few other London skyscrapers in the City clutser (the Square Mile), it will take about a year or so for the demolition of the previous building to be complete, along with enabling works and so on...which means we will most likely not see cores (or steelwork if that is the case) rising before 2008. But still, by 2010/2011, London will have a skyline to drool at!!

A few more renders to wet your apetites:

This image is a bit too big to be shown on this page, but it shows the Shard in all its glory, so please check out this link:

http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/lbt/lbt.jpg

http://i2.tinypic.com/sv1loj.jpg

The Bishopsgate tower in the City cluster:

http://aycu33.webshots.com/image/6392/2003079010997635165_rs.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3391/london4jg.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6818/cityclusteroa4.png

Btw Archibomber, I too agree that Bish tower is more impressive then LBT...although there isn't much in it, as both are just truly orgasmic!

:cheers:

^yes there all pretty renders. thats about it.
when are all these towers going to actually start?? theres been talk since forums began 4 years ago.lol
lets get started on one of these bloody projects before we all loose interest.
write back when sod of soil is turned.

^^ Lol, I share your sentiments there man, London's skyscrapers tend to have to go through a whole rigmarole of complications before they can actually get built.

The thing you have to understand is that this isn't Dubai ,where there is plenty of free, empty land land to build on and plenty of rich investors shoving skyscrapers everywhere. This is London we're talking about, moreover the City distict of London, which is already crammed full of buildings (I believe it is the most densely populated 'mile' in Europe, but I could be wrong). Which means you have to first secure the rights to the site, then wait for the previous tennants to move out (which is currenly the problem holding up LBT), then yoy have to demolish the existing building, then you have to do all the preperation work which is a bit more difficult in London because of all the buildings around you and a lot of it being on clay i believe, which is harder to build on......

But all of THAT is only after you have gotten final approval of the skyscraper. In Dubai they are just throwing skyscrapers up left right and centre as fast as possible, but in London there are so many issues to consider. English Heritage has to have its say in the matter, to conisder all the protected sightlines in London -of St Paul's Cathedral mostly- and what impact it will have on London's skyline and city as a whole; then the design spesifiactions have to go through extensive evaluation before they can be fully approved!!

So you see, altough the initial projects and renders have been around for a few years, it is only in this last year or so that they most of the towers have been given full approval. And once that happened, it took time to secure funding and tennants (only one or two of the skyscraper projects are being built speculatively).

It is only in this last week or so that Heron tower and Bishopsgate tower have secured funding, and not that long ago since LBT secured its tennants.

And now, at this stage, we have to wait more time, for the reasons I explained earlier: the site has to be fully aquired, the tennants have to move out, then the demolition of the existing building and the initial groundwork.

But, technically, work has already started, as they are doing the preperation groundwork and test-piles are being laid down...so just be patient!!

As I said in my first post, it will probably be 2008 before we actually see cores or steelwork begin to rise on LBT and Bishopsgate...but (as I've said) that doesn't mean nothing is being done till then!!

:cheers:

thanks for that jack.yes i understand about heritage issues and building major projects in an already built up city.Its seems to be getting harder and harder in sydney also.and we also have to watch out for archeilogcal artifacts when foundations are dug. some projects are put back months due to historical finds.
anyway, cant wait for some these towers especially the 300m shard.should transform the London skyline indeed!
cheers

Bishopsgate, great tower, great street.

http://thehoddlegrid.net/dump/bishopsgate.jpg

^yes there all pretty renders. thats about it.
when are all these towers going to actually start?? theres been talk since forums began 4 years ago.lol
lets get started on one of these bloody projects before we all loose interest.
write back when sod of soil is turned.


Thta's a bit catty isn't it Cull? Jealous perhaps?

^^ LOL

Bishopsgate, great tower, great street.
Yep, there are a lot of great quality streets around the fiancial district that really set London aprt in this respect. Because it is not just filled with the usual glass towers in a grid formation seen in a lot of cities across the world, you have got a great mixture of old a new buildings in an unpredictable and unique fashion. You could walk down a back street that has existed for hundreds of years with classical stone buildings lining it, then look up and see a 21st century skyscraper....it's a great area to be in:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4631/lloydsbuildingyoag4.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/2373/redbusos9.jpg
http://img173.imageshack.us/img173/1786/fenchurchstreettowerih6.jpg
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5420/threesaintsju5.jpg

Hey - In case you guys are interested this link gives you a pretty comprehensive run down of what's happening in London.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=10605316&postcount=1

Great towers, now get cracking building them!

I would disagree about Swiss Re though, it didn't strike me as very tall standing beneath it, partly because due to it's shape you couldn't even see half of it. Still, it has an awesome layout inside, must be great to work in.

Well some have been wating 7 years for the London Bridge and the land still hasn't been vacated yet.

Any more delay and they probably won't be built in time for the Olympics.

Re. LBT the reason its taken so long, apart from the public inquiry is the tennant's Pricewaterhousecoopers were refusing to leave as they had a legally binding lease. This has finally been bought out & are due to leave by mid-2007 then demolition of the current building will commence (which is around the 100m mark) so this should be complete by 2011. The building has a pre-let for the 50% of the office part & the hotel element so apart from UNESCO trying to put a spanner in the works it should be all go for it this year....at last.

Please, please, please...... everyone please sign my petition. It's being sent to the Mayor of London -

http://www.petitiononline.com/ldntower/petition.html

The London Forum would really appreciate your help!

Many thanks.