Theyve ben been on schedule so far, so they will most likely start in November as planned, it wont be rising though til Feb/March.

Steelwork was being unloaded at lunchtime yesterday from a low loader, and there was also a pretty big mobile crane on site. What this might mean I have no idea. I only saw about half a dozen steel members on the loader when I passed but they were impressively big.

See my previous post regarding the crane. the steels are for the central core, biggest today was 58 tonnes. Also did you notice that the new hoardings have not been painted yet! very shabby.

Shy Ted is in the know it sounds, and this news of steel is fantastic.

brilliant stuff!

:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

http://i35.************/25a0xmv.jpg

I see the other cranes are not up to much today with that wind

I was just looking at renderings of this tower on the London city skyline and I think it will be a great addition. It will defintely add bulk and height, but also give the city 3 tall buildings. For some reason things look better grouped in odd numbers.

I was just looking at renderings of this tower on the London city skyline and I think it will be a great addition. It will defintely add bulk and height, but also give the city 3 tall buildings. For some reason things look better grouped in odd numbers.

So what happens to odd numbers when the pinnacle is built aswell?

I see the other cranes are not up to much today with that wind

Yeah the Health and Safety people have made using cranes a nightmare, banning there use with anything over I thinks its 30mph winds just crazy how is any work supposed to get done :(

So what happens to odd numbers when the pinnacle is built aswell?


It's 1000 feet, who gives a shit.:P

There really needs to be a webcam for this so we can see whats happening in the hole and see what is happening with this steel at the moment. The Pinnacle needs one too, especially as Leadenhall and Shard have one.

The three cranes from Bishopsgate;

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/LNDN020-3.jpg

More steelwork being delivered today, large beams. Not sure what for?

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/LNDN026-1.jpg

I had a peak through the hoardings this afternoon, and I think we are going to see this baby rising quicker than we thought.:cheers:

I saw what *Looked* a lot like permanent steelwork earlier today, im only sorry i didnt take a photo but i assumed someone would beat me to it, if noone else does i shall get one tomorrow.

I'm feeling this is too good to be true, but it looks like the beginnings of a steel core?

Certainly is the steel core, It's up above the hoardings now.

Top of it is the second floor.

Oh wow, that was quick. It really is happening. :eek:

We need pictures ASAP. I'll go down there later today if the weather improves.

So soon? :eek: So it must be a fair bit ahead of schedule then?!

Certainly is the steel core, It's up above the hoardings now.

Top of it is the second floor.

You're joking, right? This can't be true...

This would be the most exciting news I've ever read on this forum.

*pinches myself*

Could that be right?
Damn it, If I wasn't at work I would be straight down there to have a look.
If it is true, this is a Fantastic day for the future of London!

Surely wouldn't the steel be for the basement works? In the last site photos there looked like a far bit of groundwork still yet.

Such good news doesnt exist on our London forum. Everyone please pull yourselves together for the sake of mankind!

Found this ULTRA-large rendering... check it out.

http://www.skanska.com/templates/downloader.aspx?assetId=20518

:)

The core? That can't be right, can it?

can someone please help me because i am very confused.

what is the building site next to The Ropemaker site. there are boards around the place with a website theheron.co.uk

it's not THIS thread's heron is it? because the location is in a different place.

please clear this up!

Its a residential building by the same people, but it's not the Heron Tower.:)

same developer different building. I think they have called that one The Heron while this one is Heron Tower

Its a residential building by the same people, but it's not the Heron Tower.:)

Yeah it's a tower and it's called Heron, but it isn't the Heron Tower :lol:

thanks! it's really confusing i think.

is there a thread for this building? any renders etc?

The Heron International site can be found here (http://www.heroninternational.co.uk/).

there you go bitches, one mofo tower 'risin high'..

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising3.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising4.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising5.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising6.JPG

Gosh cor blimey.

OMG! I thought superstructure didn't start until the end of they year!:banana:

thanks! it's really confusing i think.

is there a thread for this building? any renders etc?
The search is functional ;)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=313664

OMG this is great news!!!! great news for the whole of the UK!!!

It looks deceiving on the first pic but The white beams are the core? As it looks really close to the hoardings!

I know bugger all about skyscraper construction but how come this tower has a steel core when most seem to have concrete ones?

:cheer::banana::cheer:

Best. Update. Ever.

The Broadgate Tower was all steel I think, and I'm pretty sure Leadenhall will be too. It's just different means of construction, and I think it's a bit quicker too?

The Broadgate Tower was all steel I think, and I'm pretty sure Leadenhall will be too. It's just different means of construction, and I think it's a bit quicker too?

I would be interested to know the differences, and pros and cons of the different methods of construction - although it may well be outside the scope of this thread and I don't wanna take it off topic :)

I don't know much about it, so I'm the wrong guy to ask (though I really should, I 'm just starting a property development course:D)

But no matter how it will be built, this is great news:)

Chest are you 12ft tall? Those last two pictures show that normal fencing ain't no obstacle to us.

This is - hands down - the best news since LBT got approved in 2003.

I can't believe it!! We are looking at the actual, physical construction of the Heron Tower!!!

I don't know much about it, so I'm the wrong guy to ask (though I really should, I 'm just starting a property development course:D)

But no matter how it will be built, this is great news:)

Agreed :banana: And as you said, this may well mean it will rise quicker than if it had a concrete core.

I can't believe it!! We are looking at the actual, physical construction of the Heron Tower!!!

Well, as long as it isn't the marketing suite.

Wow! I'll take my words back. This looks pretty substantial. Looks like Ronson isn't hanging about with this one.

Excellent pix, Chest! You beat me to it, but here's my pic anyway...

http://web2k.co.uk/?im=1223040552

:banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

Damn you chest. :cry:

You beat me to it, I was looking forward to posting exclusive pictures of the construction. :rant:


:banana: :banana:

I joined this site towards the end of the construction of Swiss Re (thus missing all the original renders, demo, basement works etc of that building) and though a fine addition to London, was never really taken by Broadgate so I can happily say I'm looking forwards to seeing a building I actually care about go up, from the first images of 'what may be' through to the cranes being removed and a wonderfully situated, well designed, propper skyscraper being revealled to all.

I just got back from meeting my wife for lunch and mentioned that the 3rd big tower in the city is actually now going up, she didnt care much but I'm glad we all do.

:pepper::carrot::banana::cucumber::banana2:

Great news for a very well designed tower. The pics above show how the re clad Aviva tower is a perfect compliment to this tower.

Thanks for pics folks, brightens up a gloomy day.

Are there webcams for this?

Yeah it's a tower and it's called Heron, but it isn't the Heron Tower :lol:


...and neither of them are or look like a heron (d'oh!):bash:

Told you.

I almost let out a screem of joy on the bus today seeing this above the hoarding, this has all gone up in a week!!!

Anyway...........

:banana::banana::dance::banana::banana:

...and neither of them are or look like a heron (d'oh!):bash:

This is true :lol:

Here are some more pictures from less than an hour ago.

:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :banana: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4351/heron1ii2.jpg

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5611/heron2va2.jpg

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/2131/heron3ho0.jpg

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/5007/heron4rp2.jpg

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/8562/heron5qc2.jpg

Medo, how come I didn't spot you? We must have taken these round about the same time.

http://web2k.co.uk/?im=1223041937

Why are they using the mobile crane to lift the steel and not one of the tower cranes?

Cheers for the pics everyone!:)

LOL John I had crossed the road by that time trying to get a shot of the crane lifting the steel beams, I was in front of Maplin. :D

Why are they using the mobile crane to lift the steel and not one of the tower cranes?

Tower cranes not big enough to lift some of the heavier steels (upto approx 58 tonne)

Great news for a very well designed tower. The pics above show how the re clad Aviva tower is a perfect compliment to this tower.

Can't see the Aviva tower in any of those pics - guess you're referring to Dashwood House (or even 99 Bishopsgate, although that was reclad years ago)?

Anyways, keep the awesome photo updates coming! Fantastic day! :banana:

Are you guys pulling some kind of mass forum joke on me here or something?

Let me get this 100% straight, so there is no misunderstanding: what's being shown on those pictures is the STEEL CORE of Heron Tower (246m including spire) rising above the ground? That is correct is it not?

....who...why....how exactly is this possible....what was all that talk of it not being visible till next February??

Not being on this forum when Swiss Re was rising, this is the first major London City tower construction I've been witness to!! Made my day! :)

Are you guys pulling some kind of mass forum joke on me here or something?

Let me get this 100% straight, so there is no misunderstanding: what's being shown on those pictures is the STEEL CORE of Heron Tower (246m including spire) rising above the ground? That is correct is it not?

....who...why....how exactly is this possible....what was all that talk of it not being visible till next February??

Not being on this forum when Swiss Re was rising, this is the first major London City tower construction I've been witness to!! Made my day! :)

YEP

Blimey, this is a (nice) surprise! Looks as though they're really cracking on too. Think it'll be finished by Sunday evening?

^^Are you joking? Seriously? Sunday evening?:nuts:












Monday afternoon at the EARLIEST!

^^ :lol:

Scuse me french, but this is FUCKING GREAT NEWS!!!! :banana::banana::banana::banana::banana:

I cant believe my eyes, it's so ahead schedule!

I'll admit that i sort of knew something like this would happen because in the past month as you all know, progress has been full speed ahead, but i never would of thought the core would rise in the beginning of October!! If it carrys on like this, this beast should be TO in no time :lol:

Just doesn't seem real right now doesnt it? :banana:

I guess it's a little like Leadenhall where two big jobs are beig done at the same time, unlike Leadenhalls (slow) demo and concurrent basement construction, here we are seeing similtanious basement construction and core construction, I wonder how high they can go before all the basement works are completed?

Just doesn't seem real right now does it?


Indeed, and we know how quickly these towers shoot up. Just think, in a couple of months it will match the height of the neighbouring lowrises. Then a couple of months after that, it will be visible from the end of Bishopsgate. A couple of months after that, it will start to be visible from Waterloo Bridge...... etc. :cheers:

bugger, I spend the past 5 years walking around that bloody site looking for the slightest evidence of whether the tower will happen. I pop into Maplins next door like 30 minutes ago and I didnt even bother looking up!

I read this update earlier today and thought someone had made a mistake. Too many disappointments.....

This is just what this site needed: great news and visible progress on one of the big projects. Heron is a proper, proper skyscraper and looks fantastic. Let's enjoy the ride.

Well, as long as it isn't the marketing suite.

:lol: - I hope that's just the funniest post of the day, and doesn't turn out to be horribly prescient!

wow I saw lots of posts on this tread and wondered what all the fuss was about... this is very exciting news and no webcam means I will go up there and get pictures....along with half the forum by the looks of it :D :banana::D

I LOVE EVRYONE>>

Wheres the core?

Scrapers like this don't got no core, no concrete core anyhow; it's all steel and stuff, like Broadgate and SwissRe.

I cannot believe how fast this has happened. I took this shot on Thursday;

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/LNDN027-1.jpg

And by Friday (John B's shot). Wow!

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/heron5qc2.jpg

Wow! Could we possibly see Heron, Bishopsgate, Riverside South and the Shard up by The Olympics??

Just wait next week when we should see even more progress, by the rate things are going.

Hell, this could be topped out by the end of the month if all goes well :lol: ...i wish

The website mentions clear open plan offices so it will probably be like Bishopsgate

Scrapers like this don't got no core, no concrete core anyhow; it's all steel and stuff, like Broadgate and SwissRe.

I see.Thanks.

WHA?!?!?! I don't believe it!! How come it's so far ahead of schedule?! Absolutely brilliant news, well done Mr Ronson, Sir!!

In case we needed anymore photos, here are a couple more! It was such a suprise looking down in to the site from a 135 bus exactly how much they have managed to do without us noticing! Clearly the steelwork for the area that could be called the 'core' is complete for the first basement level! Furthermore they were delivering a lot of steelwork, so it seems this really is gogogo, and @ darjole, if this is a marketing suite, its the most heavily engineered market suite ever. But i completely understand the thought, as soon as i saw this i thought 'this cannot be true, it must be something else'

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/rawlings_of_pre/structure1.jpg

One thing that does puzzle me though, is that they are not using any of the tower cranes, instead using the silly yellow rental crane, does anyone know why that is?

What the future holds for those two dirty but nice 30s(?) buildings?

^^^ I think the one on the right will be demolished to make way for baby Heron.

Not sure about the other one but I think it's staying

One thing that does puzzle me though, is that they are not using any of the tower cranes, instead using the silly yellow rental crane, does anyone know why that is?

The tower cranes are heavy lifters but some of these columns are too heavy to be placed at the required radius. Hence the 500 tonne mobile.

One thing that does puzzle me though, is that they are not using any of the tower cranes, instead using the silly yellow rental crane, does anyone know why that is?

That silly yellow crane can lift heavier loads that the stationary cranes can. Those white beams are massive and only the yellow crane can lift them.

Edit: Cranesetc beat me to it. :tongue2:

Will be bishopsgate tower be building using steel construction aswell?

Like everyone else was really suprised seeing this today - although thinking about it we knew it was a steel core and that steel for the basements was expected in the 4th quarter of the year. What I did not expect is such visible progress - it now looks like most of the steel needs to go in to enable the basements to be constructed. :cheer:

Also have to say that the new render looks just WOW - think this is now my favourite project.

I like those 1930's Buildings, with a good clean up these would be a great contrast to the Heron Tower.. and Wow I cant believe it is rising already, this is Fantastic news for London.

Im amazed by the comparison Fitz showed with the photos of yesterday compared to today, such progress in one day! I have a feeling this will be a photo heavy weekend, excellent! Thanks for all the photos people, most definately the best day i'v had on the forum so far!

:banana::banana::banana: Excellent news. Really good to see some actual progress.

Don't know what to say :|

Thanks to everyone for providing updates

Are they using recycled steel for the construction? If not, why do some of the beams look old & rusty?

Think I read somewhere before that even though the steel has the appearance of being old/rusty, it's still as strong as a shiny piece, it's the same as railway lines.

Think I read somewhere before that even though the steel has the appearance of being old/rusty, it's still as strong as a shiny piece, it's the same as railway lines.

you probably heard here because i asked the same question about a beam in ropemaker about 9 months ago!

Omg! I came onto this thread and had to slap myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming! Steel above the hoardings already, this is must be well ahead of schedule. This is a fantastic day for London and the UK! Wonder what progress will me made in the next week or so. Absolutely brilliant news, the best news of 2008.

Yes, isn't it just the Iron oxide in the steel making it that colour?

I've not really got anything to add - except I'm as surprised as everyone by this news... I think there could be a rather large crowd of SSC members on Bishopsgate tomorrow.

This is absolutely amazing news and the images bring a tear to my eye. Those of us who have been here for long can remember the pain and suffering we had to endure to see this marvel shoot up. And at what a time it is shooting up to, punching through yestersdays planning restrictions and rules and regulations to totally defying todays financial crises.
If they're is one tower that I can say has been through thick and thin, it would have to be the Heron Tower.

GO BABY GO!

Heron... Under 'actual' construction? It feels wrong in all the right ways!

Wow, fantastic news!

This whole period should be brilliant. If we see Heron, Bishopsgate and the Shard go up at pretty much the same time, it'll be unprecedented in London. I'm hoping though that 122 Leadenhall and The Walkie Talkie never get built. The WT because it is just plain ugly, and 122L because I feel it just destabilises the cluster. It's a fine building in itself, but in all renders I've seen, it sits awkwardly in its surroundings, blocking either the Helter Skelter or The Gherkin. I'd far rather Minerva was resurrected (never gonna happen though).

Bite your tongue, 122 Leadenhall is better than 20 really good towers put together. :bash:

Don't know what to say :|

*whispers* shhh! don't say anything.. (pushes forefinger upto lips!)

Its interesting to see there's still a far amount of basements work to do yet they are building the superstructure at the same time.

This out of date gannt charge does however confirm that basement works & structure works are being done concurrently .

http://i37.************/f4goie.jpg

Its says steelwork starting 8/11/2008. Must be month ahead of schedule then. Of course there seems to be a lot more basement work to be done, but they certainly aren't messing about with this.

This is the case with most projects this size.
The basements are geneerally of a ;arger area than then the rest of the tower floor plates, so the super structure is started, and the remaing basement area which has no construction above it is dug out around the steel work.

This just feels like a cheap and sickening joke, lol.. mainly because I can't comprehend that.. this may actually be starting, I almost feel sick with excitement :| and I know its been asked over and over again, but to help me try to get me head around this, is this REALLY the start of the Heron Tower???! lol


If so, I think maybe we need a new thread, we have 93 pages a over 1800 posts about the long journey this project has taken from way back when. I think it would be a fitting milestone therefore, if we start a new 'Heron tower 2' thread. :)

This just feels like a cheap and sickening joke, lol.. mainly because I can't comprehend that.. this may actually be starting, I almost feel sick with excitement :| and I know its been asked over and over again, but to help me try to get me head around this, is this REALLY the start of the Heron Tower???! lol


If so, I think maybe we need a new thread, we have 93 pages a over 1800 posts about the long journey this project has taken from way back when. I think it would be a fitting milestone therefore, if we start a new 'Heron tower 2' thread. :)

Good idea, but i think this thread should be kept nonetheless for "memories" lol, so in 2030 we can look back and remember what we all went through :cheers:

Good idea. Have they been working today? Wonder if more steel has been erected...

Well it is a skyscraper and only in the last few years have we seen more taller buildings/skyscraper spring up around London and parts of the UK, it's must be the first building i have heard that doesn't have a concrete tower and all from steel for it's size. Worth waiting for great project.

From today, the steel-work continues to go up;

Interesting cross-bracing, one section has an X cross-brace while the new section from today has a + arrangement (so far !)
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/LNDN080.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/fit3xl/LNDN076.jpg

Cool! I think we're going to see visible progress pretty much every day, fantastic:)

Thanks for the pics!

wow....thats a big marketing suite.

Seeing as basement works are being carried out at the same time as construction of the superstructure, is there a certain height limit for the structure during this operation or can they continue building it as if the basements were already sorted?

wow....thats a big marketing suite.

That is MAJOR load bearing supportive steel :)

So we're looking at a 240+m marketing suite? :)

So we're looking at a 240+m marketing suite? :)

No a 202m marketing suite + spire :lol:

*sighs a dirtydogs comment*
*agrees with dodgyeye*

Thanks for the pics, feels amazing to see such progress in two days!

*sighs at dirtydog's comment*


It's called humour/irony :okay:

Been watching these london threads of the new talls for a while and im glad to finally see some construction of 1 of them as opposed to a huge hole in the ground.

So we're looking at a 240+m marketing suite? :)

Haha brillaint.

hate to pee on bonfires but i would have been excited about this if it had started years ago. no wonder london office rents have gone up so much and london has THE most expensive real estate prices in the world *nothing* ever gets built.
because of delays in projects like this, a lot of people have started to look elsewhere around the world for inspiration, people in london and surrounds will be amazed by this because it's in their home town but let's not kid ourselves, london is way behind other major cities in supplying office space and building tall. once i would have been amazed and excited to see this steel but not now. once it looked like london could keep up with the world with tall buildings.

There is always one isn't there.

There is always one isn't there.

if i lived in london like you do, i would be as excited as you probably are.
i just think about the disgraceful situation regarding this building's planning and it's because of the idiots that were involved that i am not particularly excited by this going up. they peed on MY bonfire years ago.

if i lived in london like you do, i would be as excited as you probably are.
i just think about the disgraceful situation regarding this building's planning and it's because of the idiots that were involved that i am not particularly excited by this going up. they peed on MY bonfire years ago.

Just because they 'peed on your bonfire' dont 'pee' on ours eh?

Just because they 'peed on your bonfire' dont 'pee' on ours eh?

people need to keep saying what i've just said.
if they stop doing this you lot will elect more boris johnsons!
peace and raging bonfires for all.

i should have said 'i am actually excited'. i am. just not particularly.
i shut up now.

oh and here's a dancing banana. :banana: (this deserves at least one)

"a lot of people have started to
look around the world for inspiration???"....WHY?????.................................................. 122/ pinnacle/shard/rs/heron/and all those on the cusp..................................................? THATS BLOODY INSPIRATION!!! XX

"a lot of people have started to
look around the world for inspiration???"....WHY?????.................................................. 122/ pinnacle/shard/rs/heron/and all those on the cusp..................................................? THATS BLOODY INSPIRATION!!! XX

because the planning situation isn't inspirational, that's why!!
other cities are DOING BETTER.
what we are doing is FANTASTIC yes but other cities are now well ahead of us with spectacular skyscrapers where they wouldn't have been had our planning system not been so inept.
to give some background, here is an old article from i think (2003/ 2004?) just afer heron was mired in a PI that should never have happened (2001/2002?):

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/heron.htm

Comdot, WTF are you on about?? Can't you just enjoy watching this go up like everyone else. Who the hell has been looking elsewhere for inspiration? Planning regs are also a nuisance for many, but they're there for a reason.

Might I prescribe a large gin & tonic and encourage you to sit back and enjoy this thread - it's a happy one! If a g&t doesn't work, a career in planning maybe..

because the planning situation isn't inspirational, that's why!!
other cities are DOING BETTER.
what we are doing is FANTASTIC yes but other cities are now well ahead of us with spectacular skyscrapers where they wouldn't have been had our planning system not been so inept.
to give some background, here is an old article from i think (2003/ 2004?) just afer heron was mired in a PI that should never have happened (2001/2002?):

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/heron.htm


I really don't agree.
We have a stringent planning system for a reason;so shit doesn't get proposed on our skylines.London(even if it won't be the densest or tallest or largest cluster)will be one of the best because of the sheer architectural quality.We're actually lucky to have these restrictions.Look at New York.There is so much shit going up there.And i hope that once the shard,leadenhall,heron etc. are built that the whole of the great big fucking uk will get the message that skyscrapers are not a threat to our society.One day we will get the message.And one day we'll be laughing our heads off when the chinese cities become dangerous,polluted,crime ridden cities.Ok maybe i'm going a tad over the top,but you get the point.Skyscrapers aren't everything.

I really don't agree.
We have a stringent planning system for a reason;so shit doesn't get proposed on our skylines.London(even if it won't be the densest or tallest or largest cluster)will be one of the best because of the sheer architectural quality.We're actually lucky to have these restrictions.Look at New York.There is so much shit going up there.And i hope that once the shard,leadenhall,heron etc. are built that the whole of the great big fucking uk will get the message that skyscrapers are not a threat to our society.One day we will get the message.And one day we'll be laughing our heads off when the chinese cities become dangerous,polluted,crime ridden cities.Ok maybe i'm going a tad over the top,but you get the point.Skyscrapers aren't everything.

The only trouble being that it does still allow shit. IMO the Willis building and Broadgate tower are rather shit - the latter especially so, due to its location some distance from the main City towers.

20 Fenchurch Street also has PP but again IMO it looks terrible and its location is also entirely unsuitable.

Also mediocre or awful groundscrapers seem to get the nod regularly just because they aren't tall.

We do have a rigorous planning process but I don't agree that it always works.

because the planning situation isn't inspirational, that's why!!
other cities are DOING BETTER.
what we are doing is FANTASTIC yes but other cities are now well ahead of us with spectacular skyscrapers where they wouldn't have been had our planning system not been so inept.
to give some background, here is an old article from i think (2003/ 2004?) just afer heron was mired in a PI that should never have happened (2001/2002?):

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/heron.htm

Tell us which cities? If you are refering to asian cities like Shanghai, Hong kong etc then they have no other choice but to go up. Other European cities have it worse than London. I cant understand your negativity all of a sudden. Visible progress on Heron, Pinnacle is pretty much a dead cert now and so is the Shard. RS is def going ahead. Where is the problem?

The only trouble being that it does still allow shit. IMO the Willis building and Broadgate tower are rather shit - the latter especially so, due to its location some distance from the main City towers.


You honestly think Willis is shit?

Just registered so be kind to me. Just had to say, as someone who has been fortunate to travel all over the World, we should celebrate the 'sudden' appearance of the Heron Tower. There's been so much negativity in this forum. London has and will have some extraordinarily high quality new buildings, that we in London, and the rest of the UK will be justly proud of.
Have you been to Shanghai recently? Well as someone who has, with the exception of Jin Mao and the Shanghai WFC, the city looks like Legoland, Some truely awful, exceptionally tall, but awful architecture, Oriental Pearl is a case in point.
New York likewise, some truely dreadful high rise garbage.
We in London may not have many tall building's but the ones we have will be well considered, elegant and beautifully detailed. I personally like the Willis Building. I need a bit more time to get to love Fenchurch Street though. London is a truely exceptional World City and we should enjoy what's going on here right now even if it feels like drawing teeth sometimes. :banana:
Here's a Banana, I think you deserve it after reading my rant!

hear hear!

I can't believe dirtydog that a building (Broadgate) becomes "shit" simply because it's in the wrong place. Ridiculous.

Just registered so be kind to me. Just had to say, as someone who has been fortunate to travel all over the World, we should celebrate the 'sudden' appearance of the Heron Tower. There's been so much negativity in this forum. London has and will have some extraordinarily high quality new buildings, that we in London, and the rest of the UK will be justly proud of.
Have you been to Shanghai recently? Well as someone who has, with the exception of Jin Mao and the Shanghai WFC, the city looks like Legoland, Some truely awful, exceptionally tall, but awful architecture, Oriental Pearl is a case in point.
New York likewise, some truely dreadful high rise garbage.
We in London may not have many tall building's but the ones we have will be well considered, elegant and beautifully detailed. I personally like the Willis Building. I need a bit more time to get to love Fenchurch Street though. London is a truely exceptional World City and we should enjoy what's going on here right now even if it feels like drawing teeth sometimes. :banana:
Here's a Banana, I think you deserve it after reading my rant!

Hear hear and welcome to the forum. Good to see you have world experience too :)

You honestly think Willis is shit?

I honestly do. Fat, stumpy and the top of it looks ridiculous at night :ohno:

We in London may not have many tall building's but the ones we have will be well considered, elegant and beautifully detailed.

Do you honestly find Broadgate tower 'elegant and beautifully detailed'? Rather than a ghastly mess with exposed lift shafts of varying heights, exposed girders, a wind breaker thing stuck onto the side and the bit sticking out of the top?

I didnt like it initailly, but in the fleah I think it is worth studying in detail. Likewise, I love Willis, but did comment on concernd about an unlit top during its construction.

Anyway, this is the Heron thread and as for our views on individual buildings....good to see none are more worthy than any other.

Dirtydog, when you put it in such terms, you make it sound bad.
Its like describing the Empire State Building as a big metal box with some old stone stuck to the outside, and a fat metal pole on the top, which is just a lightening rod

hear hear!

I can't believe dirtydog that a building (Broadgate) becomes "shit" simply because it's in the wrong place. Ridiculous.

It is shit because of its design mostly.

Anyway I know this is off topic and nothing to do with Heron so I guess we should all move on before incurring the wrath of the mods :shifty:

dirtydog, This thread says Heron Tower, not Slag off Broadgate Tower, meaning this thread is to talk about Heron Tower and not Broadgate, or any other building.

dirtydog, This thread says Heron Tower, not Slag off Broadgate Tower, meaning this thread is to talk about Heron Tower and not Broadgate, or any other building.

Thanks, nobody had pointed that out yet so I didn't know until you told me - if they ever need a new mod around here I'm sure you'll be at the top of their shortlist...

You may notice that it wasn't me who took the thread off topic originally. I know you have no patience for any opinions which don't praise every piece of junk building which goes up in London but the whole range of views are allowed here. Albeit not in this thread perhaps, as I said in my above post - but you wanted to get your little dig in didn't you :lol:

I wonder how many of your 600 posts are actually a real contribution to this forum - not too many I'm thinking.

Just because there is half a page of off topic conversation, it doesnt warrent a 'telling off' maybe once there is a full page but people cant expect threads to stay entirly 'on topic' for their eternity...

Just registered so be kind to me. Just had to say, as someone who has been fortunate to travel all over the World, we should celebrate the 'sudden' appearance of the Heron Tower. There's been so much negativity in this forum. London has and will have some extraordinarily high quality new buildings, that we in London, and the rest of the UK will be justly proud of.
Have you been to Shanghai recently? Well as someone who has, with the exception of Jin Mao and the Shanghai WFC, the city looks like Legoland, Some truely awful, exceptionally tall, but awful architecture, Oriental Pearl is a case in point.
New York likewise, some truely dreadful high rise garbage.
We in London may not have many tall building's but the ones we have will be well considered, elegant and beautifully detailed. I personally like the Willis Building. I need a bit more time to get to love Fenchurch Street though. London is a truely exceptional World City and we should enjoy what's going on here right now even if it feels like drawing teeth sometimes. :banana:
Here's a Banana, I think you deserve it after reading my rant!


Fantastic post. I haven't been to Shanghai but I know others that have and they echo your sentiments. Thanks for the positivity and welcome.

To end the tangential drift and get back on topic, I think the Heron is a brilliant design, and made better by the lighting scheme, that only 15 years ago would have been too much for Britain - "too tall, too brash, too American, too Japanese, too modern, too close, too un-Victorian"...
Finally the old school thinking is over and a new desire to make things look good has emerged. No more half measures!!

To end the tangential drift and get back on topic, I think the Heron is a brilliant design, and made better by the lighting scheme, that only 15 years ago would have been too much for Britain - "too tall, too brash, too American, too Japanese, too modern, too close, too un-Victorian"...
Finally the old school thinking is over and a new desire to make things look good has emerged. No more half measures!!

Well T42 was built in the 70s, and 1CS in the late 80s and if you stand these side by side they look much the same height or taller (I did do just that earlier in this thread: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=25629196&postcount=1696).

From what I'm seeing you're suggesting that Planning is stifling our talls yet at the same time calling the ones they've recently allowed, its like you're wanting more talls and more readily yet still want high quality, iconic structures.. the fact of the matter is the more quantity to have, the less quality you'll eventually acheive and irregardless the skyline would look so disorganised with so many iconic buildings, you'd damage the city beyond repair!

I mean, I am no business man/tycoon whatever.. But I would have thought London would be more appealin for a major office HQ because you'd spot it easier, build a 150m in NYC, HK etc... you'd never know it was there, place it in the city centre of London, the World's city, and you wouldn't miss it.. But thats my two cents..

end of the day, you've had ..what, 7 years to pee on the bonfire.. and after the depressin time these boards (and cities) have witnessed over the past year, why wait until the one time people get happy to start all this? :|

Fuck it all, Heron is UC thats all I care about right now :D

Yeah, can we just enjoy this whilst we can, do we always have to moan about something? Aliens may invade us next week and then we'd regret to enjoying the moment of Heron's construction :lol:

hate to pee on bonfires but i would have been excited about this if it had started years ago. no wonder london office rents have gone up so much and london has THE most expensive real estate prices in the world *nothing* ever gets built.
because of delays in projects like this, a lot of people have started to look elsewhere around the world for inspiration, people in london and surrounds will be amazed by this because it's in their home town but let's not kid ourselves, london is way behind other major cities in supplying office space and building tall. once i would have been amazed and excited to see this steel but not now. once it looked like london could keep up with the world with tall buildings.

I think you have a point - it is great to see Heron going up - but sometimes timing counts - I would have been more interested if this had been a few years ago.

From what I'm seeing you're suggesting that Planning is stifling our talls yet at the same time calling the ones they've recently allowed, its like you're wanting more talls and more readily yet still want high quality, iconic structures.. the fact of the matter is the more quantity to have, the less quality you'll eventually acheive and irregardless the skyline would look so disorganised with so many iconic buildings, you'd damage the city beyond repair!

Nonsense IMO. The City could have another couple of dozen 'scrapers and still only have a fraction of the number that cities like New York have.

i'm not going to try to convince anyone to come round to my point of view because that's not what i want to do. you might just accept that i have my point of view and you have yours? i accept this.
did you actually read the article in the link i posted..

anyway i hope i didn't imply that i wanted to stop OTHER PEOPLE being extremely happy about this because i do want them to be happy.

so there, i've expressed my opinion and not tried to sway anyone to come over to my point of view (hopefully).

:runaway: :)

I think you have a point - it is great to see Heron going up - but sometimes timing counts - I would have been more interested if this had been a few years ago.

Actually, in some ways I think it's good Heron is going up now. If it had been built 2 years ago we'd be spending more time now worrying about delays with old Ledders. As it is we have something to keep our spirits right up!:cheers:

Can we just clear up a few things of the last ten years of high rise development in the city since the mid -nineties so we can move on a little.

The Corp of London was a virulently opposed to towers in the city as EH during the 1990's however they had a change of heart once large organisations that were frustrated in finding a site suitable home in the city for a tall building to consolidate their offices went for an easy of the shelf HQ option in Canary Wharf & some clever work by CWG. The City having been spooked that banks such as the calibre of HSBC & Citibank were prepared to turn there back on the city of London had a change of heart & went to the other extreme whereby allowing tall buildings so long as they were in a suitable area which the Corp loosely defined as the Eastern Cluster.

As has been mentioned developers such as Heron & a pro-tall Mayor lead to new proposals, along with building of Swiss re in the early 2000's led to numerous attempts by EH to stop them & thus delaying any development of towers. By then other developers worked up plans such as BL & Minerva. By the mid 2000 there was a downturn in the office market so the timing had been missed. This , with the rather important issue of current tenants meant not much could happen. The small detail of having tennants in the building meaning you can't actually build anything with all the will in the world ( A rather large, but simple error both the owners of the Heron & LBT tower sites came up against).

Once the office market picked up again the tower projects as last got in on the game. Due to the large sites & buying out leases the projects were more complex than the smaller 5-10 office blocks that have been spec built the last few years.

We are now at the point were all the tower projects are at the end of demo & early basement works. They are all at the tail end of the current office cycle with the next upturn not due till around 2011 (although this could still change what with the current climate). With luck these should all be built by 2012.

So yes it has taken an age, but stumbling blocks that other smaller office block's & groundscrapers don't have have meant this delay. Once this current crop is built more should hopefully follow as earlier problems that delayed these towers have been largely overcome.

Its is also worth pointing out that groundscrapers, which in there true sense were just that , buildings of around 5/6 storeys (rather than any large office block that most of this forum seem to define as a groundscraper)with massive floorplates for dealing rooms, essentially horizontal skyscrapers such as DB HQ on London Wall were all the rage & even preferred by some of the bigger investment banks (remember most developments are tenant lead- the developer more or less builds what the tenant demands). It is also from a logistical point of view a lot easier & cheaper to build a large office block than a skyscraper in the city hence why developers would choose to build one rather than a tower.

Now back to the actual construction of the tallest tower in the City of London ever.

A most excellent debate, I was expecting rainy pictures today.
I think Heron and the other huge developments just show London is way ahead in Europe and ROW. It always will be. People want a vibe and London is just interesting and unique. Forget Asia/Middle east, its either too hot, prone to sand storms, smoggy and has anyone looked at La Defense lately or Frankfurt - dull.

To end the tangential drift and get back on topic, I think the Heron is a brilliant design, and made better by the lighting scheme, that only 15 years ago would have been too much for Britain - "too tall, too brash, too American, too Japanese, too modern, too close, too un-Victorian"...
Finally the old school thinking is over and a new desire to make things look good has emerged. No more half measures!!

4 dictionary results for: tangential
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
tan·gen·tial /tænˈdʒɛnʃəl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[tan-jen-shuhl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. pertaining to or of the nature of a tangent; being or moving in the direction of a tangent.
2. merely touching; slightly connected: tangential information.
3. divergent or digressive, as from a subject under consideration: tangential remarks.
4. tending to digress or to reply to questions obliquely.

Sorry to be tangential but you've taught me a new word. A thread in the skybar might be good for this.

Surely it's just the adjective for the more commonly used phrase "on a tangent"?

I think the choice of offices in London is superb with modern and old structures. We are not New York, Chicargo or Dubai, why should we be. What works for some does not work for all. There really is a great choice of office space within the M25. All different shapes and sizes, tall and small. With Heron and the Pinacle about to scrap the sky, I think there will be plenty to suit the demand. And all this noncence about planning consent taking to long to go through. If the rules were less strict we would have Barblican type developments all over the place. Its easy to build something big but you have to think about its impact on the skyline and its neigbours. London's future is not set by its skyscrapers, it set by it multitude of different people, culture and making the right decisions.

Hi Guys

thanks for the lovely pictures of Heron tower progress.
I run Allerton Engineering in Northallerton and we have the pleasure of manufacturing some 3000 tonnes of the heavier, complex basement support steelwork elements....columns, stability frame members and plate and box girders all for Severs. They are driving us hard, very hard!! We are just about keeping pace and finish the stab frame end of October with Mega Frame components completing in 2 weeks. Thereafter plate girders.
It is so good to see progress.
We are now also on St Botolphs and One New Change....watch these spaces!
Thanks again and keep the photos coming.

Stuart

So its all full steam ahead then :)

Gosh all the big guns joining the forum.... just a matter of time before Gerald Ronson himself joins us :D

... passing Heron site today, Sunday, heavy duty steel work was up to two floors. Not sure if this is structural or some sort of temporary thing. Didn't look like it was maybe strong enough for such a tower?

Gosh all the big guns joining the forum.... just a matter of time before Gerald Ronson himself joins us :D


~Oh he is...hes JamesC

The only trouble being that it does still allow shit. IMO the Willis building and Broadgate tower are rather shit - the latter especially so, due to its location some distance from the main City towers.

20 Fenchurch Street also has PP but again IMO it looks terrible and its location is also entirely unsuitable.

Also mediocre or awful groundscrapers seem to get the nod regularly just because they aren't tall.

We do have a rigorous planning process but I don't agree that it always works.

Take a look here and you'll see what shit architecture is ;)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=694418

Hi Guys

thanks for the lovely pictures of Heron tower progress.
I run Allerton Engineering in Northallerton and we have the pleasure of manufacturing some 3000 tonnes of the heavier, complex basement support steelwork elements....columns, stability frame members and plate and box girders all for Severs. They are driving us hard, very hard!! We are just about keeping pace and finish the stab frame end of October with Mega Frame components completing in 2 weeks. Thereafter plate girders.
It is so good to see progress.
We are now also on St Botolphs and One New Change....watch these spaces!
Thanks again and keep the photos coming.

Stuart

Thanks very much, this is fantastic news and makes us all very pleased!:cheers1:

Mr Gerald Ronson sir, if you are reading this, can you please put up some webcams for Heron Tower, please. Thank you. :)

borderboy this is in respose to your post (for some reason it won't let me quote yor post)

These are load bearing core beams,the reason they are not too thick, is because the tower will have outrigger trusses, which will transfer part of the load to the outer steel beams

Yes according to KPF's website the tower will have an "offset" core meaning presumably there won't be a recognisable central core leading with the floors following behind (as at Strata etc). The structure for this will rise in a different way with some of the load as Ismail says being transferred to the outer walls and down to a large steel ring beam that sits on top of the perimeter piles. I guess this is to keep the interior of the tower (which has a north-facing atrium) as column free as possible - hence the apparent lightness of what we're seeing so far.

Right, I've contacted the Marketing Director of Heron International - hopefully they'll put up a webcam soon.

Hi Guys

thanks for the lovely pictures of Heron tower progress.
I run Allerton Engineering in Northallerton and we have the pleasure of manufacturing some 3000 tonnes of the heavier, complex basement support steelwork elements....columns, stability frame members and plate and box girders all for Severs. They are driving us hard, very hard!! We are just about keeping pace and finish the stab frame end of October with Mega Frame components completing in 2 weeks. Thereafter plate girders.
It is so good to see progress.
We are now also on St Botolphs and One New Change....watch these spaces!
Thanks again and keep the photos coming.

Stuart

Brilliant. Thanks for posting, and good luck!

Gosh all the big guns joining the forum.... just a matter of time before Gerald Ronson himself joins us :D

You'd be surprised who reads this site. That's why you sometimes have to be careful what you say, and hide behind your avatar :)

Anyway - thought I'd add my own banana. It's been a while since I've felt there was just cause but this is certainly worthy.
:banana:

From lunchtime today:

http://web2k.co.uk/?im=1223297346

Wow, they really arent messing about with this one are they. Looks like someboy hasn't heard of the 'credit crunch'.

Kleenex.

Thanks for the update. I still have to keep pinching myself to realise this is actually real, and happening.

I have a feeling this thread is going to get very, very long... if it's anything like the SwissRe thread back in '02. :) *nostalgia*

Yeah, people posting stuff for no reason other than excitement - ahem..

Thanks for the update. I still have to keep pinching myself to realise this is actually real, and happening.

I have a feeling this thread is going to get very, very long... if it's anything like the SwissRe thread back in '02. :) *nostalgia*

its weird isnt it, doesnt feel real at all. Im guessing The Shard will feel like this too. I wonder if it is because we have been seeing renders for so long it has smeared reality

It's growing very fast! Bloody hell!

A few more from lunch time.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6236/h3ha1.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2291/h2uj5.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4319/h1hq0.jpg

Is that all? It looks a lot taller in the renders. And it had glass cladding as well...

:)

Even that frame work looks sexy!! Or am I just too excited? :lol:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2291/h2uj5.jpg


Is that Captain Sisko? :lol:

damn i knew marketing suits were quick to erect but this is a bit of a ron jeremy, no??! ;)

and if it finishes like he does it'll come on time and take our breath away.

http://gaygamer.net/images/ron-jeremy-super-mario.jpg

what is great is that there are quite a few forumers with cameras who work in the city and can keep the updates coming... untill hopefully a webcam arrives :)

Wow truly amazing progress. Thanks for the pics. Is it possible to take a picture of inside the pit? How tall are the hoardings?

The hoardings are over 2 metres, only a 12 foot giant can see over them, i.e. chest. :D

excuse me I'm not 12ft tall, I have a little trampoline that I carry about to construction sites - you may have seen me bouncing around? sometimes though I fly off and land in the road and hold up traffic.

A few more from lunch time.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6236/h3ha1.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2291/h2uj5.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4319/h1hq0.jpg

Prick tease!

Great pics today, thanks. This is shooting up fast.

Right, I've contacted the Marketing Director of Heron International - hopefully they'll put up a webcam soon.Good stuff, thanks. It just highlights how useless some of these so called executives are. You would have thought that Heron would want the webcams set up from the start of this project which they could then use for their own marketing purposes. But, clearly not.

This early heavy steelwork reminds me of the WTC.

Curious question, did they ever find anything when the archeologists came in?

Remnants of a Roman Villa over 10 storeys high called Heronia with vast banks of slaves and Vestal virgins at the receptionata.

Wish I was Roman :(

just back from 4 days of Andalusian sun, and didn't expect this, but whilst in imminent need of my hutch an shuteye, I can't go to bed yet when there's photos of Heron steelwork to be eyeballed. Hurrah.

What? No updates today? Shame on you people, shame on you. :no:

I managed to dig this stuff out from the Corporation of London website.... There is loads of information on the Heron Tower. The first thing you notice is how much hard work goes into getting planning consent. It's like a massive dissertation and then some.

This tower will be absolutely incredible at night. There are going to be blue LEDs all down one of the sides and it has external glass lifts ala Lloyds. It also will have lots of solar panels on the exterior. This really will be a stunning tower... and also looks as though, bar catastrophe, it will be built.

A dark horse this one for sure... only problem is that the Gannt chart below states that it won't be finished until 2010... and thats with a start this summer with preparation works and demolition of Bishops House.

This is what we are losing... not much!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/BishopsHouse.jpg

Here's some closeups of the structure:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronandHeronPlazatransparent.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/StructuralBracingandVillages.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/UpperpartofthetowerfromLiverpoolStr.jpg

An of the foyer, the restaurant bar:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronFoyer.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronTowerRestaurantBar.jpg

Here's some fascinating information about the lighting scheme and the solar panels:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronfromGracechurchStreetatnight.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronTowerlightingdetails.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/MoreLightingInfo.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronTowerSolarinfo.jpg

And wireframes of how all the approved projects will look. This will be of benefit to Will as it has more accurate impressions of how tall the Willis Building will look from Waterloo Bridge.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/ConsentedDevelopment.jpg

And from Somerset House and the Embankment:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/FromSomersetHouse.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/FromEmbankment.jpg

Here's the Gantt Chart:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/GanttChart.jpg

as someone recently mentioned the lighting scheme of this I got curious and was digging a bit into the depths of this thread to find more about it. What came about was this quite interesting (in general but eg. besides the lighting scheme there's a lot about the public access to the top) post from 2 years ago. Nice reminder of what we have to expect now that things are taking off. Also interesting to read the discussion at the time following that post from a nowadays viewpoint:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=7501360&highlight=lighting#post7501360

It is interesting that they are constructing both basements and superstructure at the same time. I wonder why they don't do this on all developments? It must save considerable time. I wonder if they will construct the tower to level 3 or something and wait until the basements are complete to continue superstructure?

It is elegant but showing its age now particularly in the cladding details.

No updates today?

It is elegant but showing its age now particularly in the cladding details.

You think this tower is showing its age already? :eek:

Anymore steel work gone up today you reckon?

It is elegant but showing its age now particularly in the cladding details.

Why is that?

Even if it 'will' end up showing its age, not that I think it will.. but if it did, I'd think that could be an even better thing, because in all fairness this (well more these) designs should have gone up years ago!

It is a timeless design in my opinion and not only will look good when completed, but long into the future.

I love the way it intrudes on St Paul's cathedral from some angles! I'm not being ironic, I don't see any problem with many towers all around St Paul's, just like St Patrick's church in NY is surrounded by tall buildings. More please...

Let's send some of these pics to Simon Jenkins. I would love to see the look on that dinosaur's face! lol.

Like One poultry, it will be one of the last 90s skyscraper built in Europe. It has a very Frankfurtesque style, very nice proportions but it lacks ambition, it lacks future.
It should have been built years ago!
But anyway most cities would kill to have that built. Im doing my difficult but it's the most va va voum tower ever.

Anything familiar?



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronFoyer.jpg
]
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6236/h3ha1.jpg

This steel works doesn't look right to me. I wonder if we're seeing not the above ground steel works, but the basement steel works just being constructed above ground. If that makes any sense.

I love the way it intrudes on St Paul's cathedral from some angles!.Just seen the latest renders too.:ohno::(

Anything familiar?


Good one, Mark. Knew there would be some interesting stuff out of Dom's old "super compilation" for Heron. Nice indeed to see what that early steel columns represent..

The render is from Bishopsgate not Camomile Street as the photo is.

This steel works doesn't look right to me. I wonder if we're seeing not the above ground steel works, but the basement steel works just being constructed above ground. If that makes any sense.



?????

How exactly would they get these above ground steel works below ground if they were for the basements?

Maybe you suhould have another look at photos posted. The steel work is rising above the concrete basement slab.

http://homepage.mac.com/benveasey/.Public/heronrising4.JPG

....you're right of course. It's my tired eyes. Great pic, by the way.

....you're right of course. It's my tired eyes. Great pic, by the way.

One of chest pics from a few pages back.
Quite a bit of work to do on the basements mind.

Dom's render shows 'Cipriani East' - they're already naming bits of building after the precocious rugby moppet already?

I thought it was a concrete core.....not sure why, but goes to show the misguided nature of jimbo. Keep the photos coming.

The render is from Bishopsgate not Camomile Street as the photo is.


I realise that but the pics are more a representation of the form taking shape as opposed to a specific area.

This steel works doesn't look right to me. I wonder if we're seeing not the above ground steel works, but the basement steel works just being constructed above ground. If that makes any sense.
(

Not a chance, it would never be constructed in that way

Today's update:

http://web2k.co.uk/?im=1223469774

Is it part of the fish tank?

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/4319/h1hq0.jpg

Today's update:

http://web2k.co.uk/?im=1223469774


From the same angle, quite a bit of difference.

Is it part of the fish tank?

no the netball court

Its a set of gallows for the city bankers.

Its a set of gallows for the city bankers.

:lol:

it will need to be a hell of alot bigger than that then.

More visible progress, great stuff. Still seems unreal to see steel rising on this site.

I think it only seems so unreal because its taken an age to actually occur!

Now that's more like it!

Great photo london lad!!

it will need to be a hell of alot bigger than that then.

we can always use the lamp posts.

But theres already a pit dug for them, efficient and practical. Building works need not be stopped.

Update:

Wednesday 8/10/08 17:00

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/6012/her1iw6.jpg

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/5471/her2cy0.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1029/her3us4.jpg

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/2464/her4nc4.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3651/her5cm1.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/3631/her6ex4.jpg

Holy Moly!!!! Thats the progress in what? a couple of days? Think about a couple of months. Go Ronson!

VERY excited... What we've all been waiting for :cheers:

How big was the fish tank again?

10,000 gal was it?


Fantastic looking tower...more than a box.

Has an american look to it which isnt a bad thing at all when it comes to skyscrapers.

Great updates, I assume the steelwork on Camomile Street is its southern edge.

The fish tank will be 5 storeys tall.

STOP! NANA TIME!
:banana::banana::banana:
What a terrible week for the finance industy, but what a great week for the Heron Tower.

What is this 'fish tank' you people talk about? :weird:

Yeh I thought that...What fish tank?

Fish tank in reception.

Fantastic looking tower...more than a box.

Has an american look to it which isnt a bad thing at all when it comes to skyscrapers.Do you think so? I thought it was more of the German/Euro scraper design. And I agree, it is fantastic looking. It is still basically a box design, but real effort has been put into its cladding, the upper floors of the tower etc. It will look different from each side which I think is great.

If only CW's towers had more effort put into them...

Thanks to those who took the pics today.

Shall we play a game? How big will this get by the end of the year? I'll go for 15 floors high on at least one side.

Arg! This thread is too addictive, coming back every 30 minutest to see what further progress has been made before reminding myself that 'its only 30 minutes!' Time to take a holiday. Hate what it will be like when the Shard is going up too. Is there a condition of 'compusive construction observation disorder?

Fish tank is an understatement - this tank will rival the London Aquarium :yes: ;)

I don't think there have been any specific images of it, but it's in the planning docs (i believe), so there'll be something big and watery there.

iv started taking my laptop with me to the cafe i run so i can keep checking for updates! dread to think what ill be like when this/shard/122/pinnicle/rs are all going up together (fingers crossed!) bye bye to all my friends i think lol! im sorting a day out in london in jan under the pretext of celebrating my birthday............little do my mates know !!!! lol

Fish tank is an understatement - this tank will rival the London Aquarium :yes: ;)

I don't think there have been any specific images of it, but it's in the planning docs (i believe), so there'll be something big and watery there.The pic of the "fishtank" was reposted the other day. Here we go:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/dominiccherry1/HeronFoyer.jpg


You can even see the fishes swimming around. Perhaps they should stick a few sharks in there and tell the bank execs it's a new exclusive private swimming pool just for them!...:lol:

Brilliant! What a great idea. The fish tank i mean, not the bankers and the sharks!

Just like many other forumers, can't believe this is happening! Thanks for the updates.

iv started taking my laptop with me to the cafe i run so i can keep checking for updates! dread to think what ill be like when this/shard/122/pinnicle/rs are all going up together (fingers crossed!) bye bye to all my friends i think lol! im sorting a day out in london in jan under the pretext of celebrating my birthday............little do my mates know !!!! lol

HAHA you think you're bad? Im a taxi driver and constantly check between hires on my iphone lol. Im going demented watching for updates, although to be fair Heron looks like its shooting up so it shouldnt be too bad. :cheers:

Not to put a dampener on the banana party, but they have loads to do on the basement works so i wouldn't be surprised if the pace slows soon for a bit...

I have a webcam Idea, Maplin sells the things so why not ask the manager to put one in there window looking north !!! (as high as possible) Just a thought could be good advertising for them as well !

The best place for a webcam would be Dashwood House which is also a Skanska development.

Not to put a dampener on the banana party, but they have loads to do on the basement works so i wouldn't be surprised if the pace slows soon for a bit...

Why would it they arent going to use the same workers that are constructing the steelwork to then construct the basement. So the two aspects of the build should pretty much continue at the same pace