It'll be worth the wait ;)

why are the floors towards the center of the tower have grey spaces between the panels.....just curious

Do you mean on the left one? That's the concrete section.

by unravelled on Flickr.

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/8763/5674009400e52d06e589b1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/5674009400/sizes/l/in/photostream/

by ianpatterson99 on Flickr.

http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/3185/5663912694b21800c334b1.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianpatterson/5663912694/sizes/l/in/photostream/

It is fair enough to say the building is best located in that area. Visitors will have a great view of the city from the top floors.

Update by omar_musa on flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/5675549890_8da2075401_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/omar_musa/5675549890/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5675547670_1f50ca2b89_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/omar_musa/5675547670/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Day shots by maggie jones on flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5677026974_40b51c1fb7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggiejones/5677026974/)
The Shard. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggiejones/5677026974/) by maggie jones. (http://www.flickr.com/people/maggiejones/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5676464157_567f2505be_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggiejones/5676464157/)
Europe's tallest building. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maggiejones/5676464157/) by maggie jones. (http://www.flickr.com/people/maggiejones/), on Flickr

Love the cladding more and more each day.

by eddyk.

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

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

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

by rensenbrink78 on Flickr.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3950/56760667378ef3b4b2d0b1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rensenbrink78/5676066737/sizes/l/in/photostream/

She keeps her moet and chandon in her pretty cabinet ~

Love the cladding more and more each day.

i am not so sure whether it happens only to me or not. i feel like the shard has so many similarities to one world trade centre :lol: i just saw that tower on bbc news and it's night lights remind me of the shard :) very beautiful

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5067/5679033779_f2129a17aa_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelewisfoti/5679033779/)
The Shard in Reflection (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelewisfoti/5679033779/) by Simply Lewis (http://www.flickr.com/people/thelewisfoti/), on Flickr

i am not so sure whether it happens only to me or not. i feel like the shard has so many similarities to one world trade centre :lol: i just saw that tower on bbc news and it's night lights remind me of the shard :) very beautiful

What's the problem with the similarities? :dunno:

Beautiful pic you found there.

i am not so sure whether it happens only to me or not. i feel like the shard has so many similarities to one world trade centre :lol: i just saw that tower on bbc news and it's night lights remind me of the shard :) very beautiful

England and the USA have an incredibly strong relationship as we both help each other. How cool would it be if they twinned the Shard with One World Trade Centre. I would love that :)

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 :)

:master: :eek:

by Edvvc.

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

:cheers:

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 :)

by anthonySE1.

http://i55.tinypic.com/notr86.jpg

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

by jimbo.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/9238/img0768f.jpg

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

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/7773/img0797k.jpg

I'm sorry, but I just don't like this tower. However, progress looks really good and this building will soon become an icon!

by jayo.

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

by Harry Ball
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5681775782_6999c145c5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harryball/5681775782/)
The Shard & More London (http://www.flickr.com/photos/harryball/5681775782/) by Harry Ball (http://www.flickr.com/people/harryball/), on Flickr

I walked through the City yesterday (a bank holiday) past a complete Heron Tower, a redundant Bishopgate Tower, the holes of the emerging Leadenhall and Fenchurch towers and finally, across Tower Bridge to the majesty of the Shard. What an amazing city I live in, no wonder more foreign visitors come to London than any other city in the World. Slightly biased opinion I know. But still true.

This last view is so futuristic. :bow:

by pingyao.

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

by GazKinz.

http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc360/londonfire/Picture15231152-2.jpg

Great updates :applause:

^^ I thought you were banned?

+ as usual, cheers for the updates Porto.

looking fab

^^ I thought you were banned?

Yes i was actually banned for a day by Nihon Kitty in international skybar for using fake Banned under my user name :)

Back on topic! Here is a picture of The Shard taken on 19, February, 2011 by briburt

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5255/5506996210_a784bb744b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/briburt/5506996210/)
Southwark Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/briburt/5506996210/) by briburt (http://www.flickr.com/people/briburt/), on Flickr


And this is a recent picture taken yesterday by jim

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5684692396_ec45fa822b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_2e0jps/5684692396/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_2e0jps/5684692396/) by jim_2e0jps (http://www.flickr.com/people/jim_2e0jps/), on Flickr

By comparing these two pictures, i would say this construction progress is kind of fast, no?

Heres another great shot from flickr:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5680888758_a8f67b2653_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/5680888758/)
RIMG0360 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/5680888758/) by unravelled (http://www.flickr.com/people/unravelled/), on Flickr

The building looks awesome! :D

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

By comparing these two pictures, i would say this construction progress is kind of fast, no?If you had compared with a one year old picture, the progress would be much faster :)

If you had compared with a one year old picture, the progress would be much faster :)

That's true. It's huge progress after a one year. I had a chance to visit London year ago (I was taking pictures of the Shard like crazy). This year I'm going to visit London again. And I'm wondering how big progress will be in 2 months (I'll be in July).

Of course, I'll take some pictures.
And as always - can't wait to see London again :)

Cheers

And this is a recent picture taken yesterday by jim

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5684692396_ec45fa822b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_2e0jps/5684692396/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim_2e0jps/5684692396/) by jim_2e0jps (http://www.flickr.com/people/jim_2e0jps/), on Flickr

By comparing these two pictures, i would say this construction progress is kind of fast, no?

If you had compared with a one year old picture, the progress would be much faster :)




23rd April last year :)

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/102707-2/20100423_0064.jpg

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/102749-2/20100423_0044.jpg

http://www.cybertects.co.uk/gallery2/d/102911-2/20100423_0001.jpg

What a progress :omg:

I know! To think January 2010 it was just a hole in the ground! Extremely impressive!

The most visually exciting part of the project is almost gone.

^^ untrue! We are yet to witness the 70 meter glass spire go on top :)

will there be a steel frame to go on top of the core to fix the glass spire to ,or will it be floating above the core ?

^^ untrue! We are yet to witness the 70 meter glass spire go on top :)

That's why I said 'almost'.:)

by nauticat.

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

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

'almost' ah I see :)

I'm guessing that view is from the BT tower? Either way the shard looks great from it- prefer the 1 New Change viewing platform angle though.

will there be a steel frame to go on top of the core to fix the glass spire to ,or will it be floating above the core ?

A steel frame, as this render illustrates :)


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5688027691_624d738308_d.jpg

The Shard is already a giant monster in the city although this long spire has not been added yet.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5188/5686180795_7a13cd8711_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62242998@N03/5686180795/)
2011 05 04 67 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62242998@N03/5686180795/) by Will Pine (http://www.flickr.com/people/62242998@N03/), on Flickr

It infinitely improves the whole southbank!

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

You catch every detail in a stunning way.

by SE9.

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

by Benroberta.

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

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/7128/56873879226634f48c5fb1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14958189@N06/5687387922/sizes/l/in/photostream/

by lumberjack.

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

The interior works on Shard, are started? At least as i can see in that photo probably yes...
http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110504_0067.jpg

i wonder how far it is at the end of this year

The interior works on Shard, are started? At least as i can see in that photo probably yes...

In the lower floors, probably.

by chest.

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

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

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

The City skyline is starting to take a good-shaped cluster, GOD please don't demolish The Guy but reclad this tall building :yes:

Can't wait to see The Pinnacle, Leadenhall, Cheese Grater and Cucumber grow up :banana::carrot:

by wawd.

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

^^ what on earth is the cucumber???

And great pic Porto, very post-apocalypse!

Ive always hated the Trellick tower...

^^ what on earth is the cucumber???

Sorry for posting this irrelevant picture in this forum, just want to show what Cucumber tower is :cheers:

http://www.propertyweek.com/pictures/458xAny/9/6/9/1680969_The_Cucumber_1.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5688785352_c0e263d6a6_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/568785352

Oh you mean the proposal down doon street...

The Shard effect on London

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.

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

by wawd.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5187/5688264942_d0847decf2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688264942/)
P1120812 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5688264942/) by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/), on Flickr

is this from grenwich park?

No, richmonds park I think :)

Picture I took from last week, from Borough High Street I think.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5691203908_e3610c907a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexichino/5691203908/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexichino/5691203908/) by Mexichino (http://www.flickr.com/people/mexichino/), on Flickr

No, richmonds park I think :)

Slightly off!

It's got to be east, as The Shard is on the left and The City on the right.

My money's on Beckton Alps, that's Balfron Tower (Trellick's little brother) partially obscuring The Eye.

Picture I took from last week, from Borough High Street I think.


Newington Causeway if I'm not mistaken. :)

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

Slightly off!

It's got to be east, as The Shard is on the left and The City on the right.

My money's on Beckton Alps, that's Balfron Tower (Trellick's little brother) partially obscuring The Eye.

Given that it appears in wawd's Stratford - Woolwich Walk set, you're certainly a lot closer. It would be a very long diversion via Richmond :)

by chest.

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

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

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

Very nice pictures and unusual shots by chest :)

Taken from Richmond Park or Parliament Hill?

I am a bit confused because in the first pic the city skyline is quite far which doesn't look like Parliament hill, no?

Those shots were taken from somewhere in the south east ^^ :D

Very nice pictures and unusual shots by chest :)

Taken from Richmond Park or Parliament Hill?

I am a bit confused because in the first pic the city skyline is quite far which doesn't look like Parliament hill, no?

Chest took them from One Tree Hill at Honor Oak Park, in South East London.

Newington Causeway if I'm not mistaken. :)

Probably, Im not familiar with the area.



Taken from Richmond Park or Parliament Hill?

I am a bit confused because in the first pic the city skyline is quite far which doesn't look like Parliament hill, no?

If you'd like to be able to tell if a picture is taken from Parliament hill, then look for whether the Shard is directly above St Paul's, and to right of the city cluster.

Great update as usual, cyber! :applause:

by The Shard Baby.

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

by The Shard Baby.

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

I like this!

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

Looking good London.

is there any chance of a insde pic.

I fear that The Shard will become too dominant on the London skyline. Unlike the The Gherkin, it is too tall and massive to fit in if you ask me. Also, The Gherkin has that smooth pattern, which makes it more pleasant and elegant to look at, while this building is simply colossal.

by pencefn

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/5694390126_0c883f5924_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5694390126/)
The Shard, Guys Tower and Tower Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5694390126/) by pencefn (http://www.flickr.com/people/pencefn/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5693814733_76a3c60131_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5693814733/)
St Paul's Cathedral, The Shard and Tower Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5693814733/) by pencefn (http://www.flickr.com/people/pencefn/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/5694389302_af411d4b02_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5694389302/)
The Razor, The Shard and Tower Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pencefn/5694389302/) by pencefn (http://www.flickr.com/people/pencefn/), on Flickr

^^ Awesome aerial shots!

The second one is especially good. :applause:

I fear that The Shard will become too dominant on the London skyline. Unlike the The Gherkin, it is too tall and massive to fit in if you ask me. Also, The Gherkin has that smooth pattern, which makes it more pleasant and elegant to look at, while this building is simply colossal.

I think it'll look less massive than One Canada Square... granted it's significantly taller, but The Shards taper versus OCS's bulk makes the Shard more elegant and less 'massive' overall

Interestingly, both buildings have exactly the same floorspace (111,000m2)... but the vast bulk of The Shard's floorspace is in the lower floors / backpack.

The Shard's design allows it to become a skyline icon in a way OCS could never achieve.

by Toots57 on Flickr.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1015/56942139862a79034c5eb1.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tootsville/5694213986/sizes/l/in/photostream/

by lilo_lil

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5150/5693813163_820017f820_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilo_lil/5693813163/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/5693812763_b32c2fefa2_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilo_lil/5693812763/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Has anyone been on google earth 3D? They have 3d models of practically all of London with the correct textures, including the shard under construction!!

I fear that The Shard will become too dominant on the London skyline. Unlike the The Gherkin, it is too tall and massive to fit in if you ask me. Also, The Gherkin has that smooth pattern, which makes it more pleasant and elegant to look at, while this building is simply colossal.

I'd rather see accentuations like the Shard breaking up a skyline than a uniform row of structures. It gives the eye something to latch onto amongst a see of uniformity - similar to a mountain range that has character because it has a few peaks jutting up higher than the rest of the range.

Meh - whatever though, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks I suppose.

Not directly related to the Shard but just to show that its office space is a mere drop in the see and that the skyscraper boom has no reason to be over.

City towers on the rise…but not fast enough

As the Shard rises over the London skyline, it might seem to passers by that the UK capital will not be running out of office space any time soon. But a new survey indicates that, though developers are gradually rediscovering their appetite for new projects, they are not doing so at a sufficient pace to keep up with demand from the City's financial industry.

...

http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2011-05-05/supply-of-city-offices-not-rising-fast-enough?mod=sectionheadlines-home-IB

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

Willis looks great from that angle!

by wawd.

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

just to clear things up about my photo: it was taken from the top of a small hill very close to Beckton DLR. great spot for a BBQ :)

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

just to clear things up about my photo: it was taken from the top of a small hill very close to Beckton DLR. great spot for a BBQ :)

I like how you managed to capture CW, The City and The Shard in the middle.
And I'd like to say thanks for your amazing aerial shots too :)

This last pic :master:

by anthonySE1.

http://i52.tinypic.com/33my9hz.jpg

by Ratfink - London on Flickr.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/4352/5691549400e9f9d26a4fb1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ratfinklondon/5691549400/sizes/l/in/photostream/

The cladding needs a good wash!

The Shard's design allows it to become a skyline icon in a way OCS could never achieve.

I've always thought the Pinnacle wins the prize for being the most iconic - much as I love the Shard (and probably prefer it to the Pinnacle), it isn't much more than a pyramid shape. I'm thinking of those little keyring models of the Eiffel tower, or skyline silhouettes for company branding - where the Pinnacle's shape should make it much more usable and recognisable.

Why couldn't a simple design still turn a building into a landmark? Besides, the Shard stands alone in the south bank, whereas the Pinnacle is mingled in the City cluster.

The Pinnacle is mingled in the City cluster.

But the Pinnacle completes the Cities cluster. With Leadenhall backing up to it, leave it out and the skyline seems unfinished. Mainly because there is a tower like gap at the heart of the cluster. Maybe we've all become too used to seeing the Pinnacle there, ingrained in what we see, as it were. Either way there needs to some variation on height, Que the iconic Pinnacle :D.

check it out guys.Top architecture miracles of the world.
http://adf.ly/1Sy3K

Definately think the shard trumps the pinnacle as an icon!

But the Pinnacle completes the Cities cluster. With Leadenhall backing up to it, leave it out and the skyline seems unfinished. Mainly because there is a tower like gap at the heart of the cluster. Maybe we've all become too used to seeing the Pinnacle there, ingrained in what we see, as it were. Either way there needs to some variation on height, Que the iconic Pinnacle :D.

There's nothing wrong with the Pinnacle, it's top class tower but in terms of being a landmark, the Shard takes the cake.

Ugly architecture of the building but the glass..the BEST!
resp shard baby

Ugly architecture of the building but the glass..the BEST!
resp shard baby

Ugly architecture? You kidding?

Ugly architecture of the building but the glass..the BEST!
resp shard baby

But the Glazing is the building :lol:. So you don't like the triangular shape? Is that it?

THE SHARD IS THE 21ST CENTURY OF EIFFIEL TOWER
AND IT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURE IN LONDON ALONGSIDE ST PAULS CATHEDRAL :bow:

IT IS GOING TO BE THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURE IN LONDON ALONGSIDE ST PAULS CATHEDRAL :bow:

Well, from Parliament Hill Fields, you get that quite literally. :)

[dunno why you had to shout about it though...]

by EcoSnapper
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2134/5700983898_8e55e3bf65_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecosnapper/5700983898/)
The Shard At A Distance (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecosnapper/5700983898/) by EcoSnapper (http://www.flickr.com/people/ecosnapper/), on Flickr

[dunno why you had to shout about it though...]

Lol

[dunno why you had to shout about it though...]

Just promotion for London :colgate:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/5696769185_2f653118db_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/memzee/5696769185/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/memzee/5696769185/) by memfid (http://www.flickr.com/people/memzee/), on Flickr

Would love to see another time lapse. It's the way one can truly appreciate the progress at this point.

just posted this over on the London forum :lol:
April - early May progess

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

:D :applause:

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/9503/570414596983cacd3cf7b1.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/botosynthetic/5704145969/sizes/l/in/photostream/

by eddyk.

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

Love that first pic, makes London seem so green and beautiful. Fantastic shot :D

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

Awesome as usual rob, thanks for sharing man.

Current height of the core? Same for the floors? Any data revealing floor height?
Diagram coming soon... Needing information :okay:

cybertect :applause:

I was viewing your photo galleries on your website in the other day. It's really great and i just love the way you provide description and Exif data under the pictures, which gives me opportunity to imitate good setting and how to take pictures perfectly :happy:


by smokeghost
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/5704145969_83cacd3cf7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/botosynthetic/5704145969/)
London Skyline From Archway (http://www.flickr.com/photos/botosynthetic/5704145969/) by smokeghost (http://www.flickr.com/people/botosynthetic/), on Flickr

^^ that picture has already been put on this page :)

^ Ahh sorry, didn't see that as i use 10 posts per page setting :)

Most recent pics taken by John Steedman, djdamien and pomphorhynchus on flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3048/5704561747_a6d13ed663_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14958189@N06/5704561747/)
Shard and Southwark Bridge viewed from the formerly wobbly bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14958189@N06/5704561747/) by John Steedman (http://www.flickr.com/people/14958189@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/5704766822_0e73a7e128_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djdamien/5704766822/)
Shard Face (http://www.flickr.com/photos/djdamien/5704766822/) by DJ Damien (http://www.flickr.com/people/djdamien/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/5704233235_aedfe7d0a7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pomphorhynchus/5704233235/)
Shard May 2011a (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pomphorhynchus/5704233235/) by pomphorhynchus (http://www.flickr.com/people/pomphorhynchus/), on Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2084/5704229191_32e60e2fb3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pomphorhynchus/5704229191/)
Shard May 2011b (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pomphorhynchus/5704229191/) by pomphorhynchus (http://www.flickr.com/people/pomphorhynchus/), on Flickr

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

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

Well, that turns out to be a crane base.

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

:cheers1: :applause:

Ugly architecture? You kidding?
It is difficult for you to say do not discriminate.
I hope Google has translated correctly

You can say whatever you like about the architecture but with a proper explanation. :)

by Gribiche on Flickr.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6024/5702450673e070d81517b1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rob-sinclair/5702450673/sizes/l/in/photostream/

by anthonySE1.

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

:cheers:

by anthonySE1.

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

Everytime i come to this thread i get more excited about showing it off to the world in 2012. When it is finished it will be added to london's portflio of amazing architecture with an icon from every age of its history. :)

Everytime i come to this thread i get more excited about showing it off to the world in 2012. When it is finished it will be added to london's portflio of amazing architecture with an icon from every age of its history. :)

Absolutely, I just hope the media and the film industry know how to take full advantage of this tower when showing aerial shots.

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

A wonderful shot of The Shard at the end of tonight's Apprentice. Watched show at my parents home in Nottingham. "What's that amazing building?" my mother asked me. I think it's a question many viewers would be asking. It looked great. The ariel shots if the city, especially at night, looked incredible.

Good then, I'm also interested to know what 'regular' people think of skyscrapers. :)

A granny in my house said The Shard looks ridiculous :lol:

Everything modern is considered dreadful by a lot of elderly people.

A nice video of London including the Shard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRSPHxS4CjQ

:cheers:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/5707527320_c98e2405c6_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakekf/5707527320/)
[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/jakekf/]JakeKF (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakekf/5707527320/)

:cheers2:

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

by The Shard Baby.

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

A wonderful shot of The Shard at the end of tonight's Apprentice. Watched show at my parents home in Nottingham. "What's that amazing building?" my mother asked me. I think it's a question many viewers would be asking. It looked great. The ariel shots if the city, especially at night, looked incredible.

Scroll >>>>>

by flange.

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

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/5709811331_63d1efd6fb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5709811331/)
[/url] by Mikepaws (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5709811331/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3307/5710372578_e86398a16b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5710372578/)
by Mikepaws (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5710372578/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/5710372682_d437f3a819_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5710372682/)
by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/27118242@N04/]Mikepaws (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27118242@N04/5710372682/)

Crystal clear glazing. :cheers2:

the surroundings buildings cancel the efforts made by shard to restore the skyline.

This old city needs the others skyscrappers projects to be realized. When you look at goald coast in australia their skyline rocks.

Shard could do a lot for london but london don't the same for the shard...

:nuts:

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

^^Reflections. :cheers2:

Construction: Investors transform UK horizon

The lights twinkling from the 35 completed storeys of the Shard near London Bridge already dwarf the tower blocks that punctuate the night sky along the south bank of the river Thames. The Shard is a potent symbol of the growing significance of Islamic finance, which was partly behind the funding of the project.

That, though, is only half the story of this new London landmark.

Illuminated sporadically by the red flashes of aircraft warning beacons, the concrete spine of the half-built skyscraper climbs another 40 storeys into the translucent gloom above London. At 280 metres the Shard is already the tallest building in the UK and by early next year, when it is crowned with another 15 storeys of steel spire, will be the highest anywhere in the European Union. It is a landmark on the London cityscape and has been the subject of almost constant media attention.

However, the audacious project very nearly did not happen.

In late 2007, the gathering uncertainty in the global financial markets sparked concerns about getting the construction started. Then, with some fearing the tower would have to be abandoned, a consortium of Qatari investors paid £150m ($246m) to secure an 80 per cent stake in the project. The new owners quickly stumped up the cash to start construction and the foundations were built.

In the three years since, the Shard, which at its fastest rose at 30cm an hour, has typified the role played by Islamic finance in not only supporting, but defining a new era in the UK construction and property industry. “It is all about owning a chunky trophy asset in one of the world’s big global cities and London is seen as the safest place to put large amounts of cash – it is very stable politically,” says one person involved in the Shard project.

“They want to create the biggest, fastest-built and most sought-after properties on the skyline,” the person added.

As well as the change in scale and speed of some of the building projects being financed by sharia-compliant investment – which forbids earning money through interest payments – there are certain conditions on which kinds of businesses are permitted to become tenants of the finished building. Casinos, most banks and companies connected to the alcoholic drinks industry would be very unlikely to get permission to occupy space in a building backed by Islamic finance.

A few miles upstream from the Shard, near Chelsea Bridge and opposite Christopher Wren’s Royal Hospital for the Chelsea military pensioners, Islamic finance was at the core of Clifford Chance’s work on the £1.25bn acquisition and funding of the Chelsea Barracks site.

The £959m deal – the highest-value UK land acquisition in history – was carried out by Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment alongside the CPC, the Guernsey-based developers, in order to build a big upmarket residential complex. The deal showed that Islamic financing of real estate transactions can be made to work in a complicated tax environment such as the UK.

Neil Miller, global head of Islamic finance at KPMG, believes the UK is some way ahead of other European countries in attracting money from buyers wishing to work within a sharia-compliant framework. “There have been high-street banks offering sharia-compliant products to retail buyers in the UK since about 2003, so the foundations were there. The legal and tax frameworks are also much more friendly to foreign investors in residential and commercial property,” says Mr Miller.

However, Mr Miller says that France and Germany are looking closely at how they can adjust their tax regimes to appeal better to Islamic investment.

It is not just funding the latest rash of skyscrapers that appeals to Islamic investors. At a time when house sales in the UK are running at historically low levels, buyers from across the Arab world are propping up demand in London and the south-east. The demand is expected to facilitate the construction of 10,000 homes in the capital and the expected £5bn of investment from overseas buyers – which is likely to target high-end residential developments – has pumped up competition for land to levels last experienced before the recession.

Indeed, as the political upheaval in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya spreads to other parts of the region, housebuilders and property agents in the UK capital are expecting another round of buying from cash-rich investors seeking a safe place to lock up their wealth.

Simon Brown, a housebuilding analyst at Northland Capital, comments: “What we are seeing at the moment is a flight to security, as many investors are looking at London as the best place to put their money. “Spending by buyers from the Middle East is one of the main factors which has protected sales of new-build housing in London compared to other parts of the country,” he explains.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3dbd26fe-7aa1-11e0-8762-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1M5XBcmNb

by mede61 on Flickr.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/326/57128076183da1557e85b1.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/1615/571224397943a8315b38b1.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40667013@N00/5712807618/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40667013@N00/5712243979/sizes/l/in/photostream/

A little follow-up on my earlier post... also 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

Keeping an eye on its smaller siblings. :cheers2:

Thanks Cybertect

But, those residential buildings on the right corner of the picture look just hideous.

What sort of tenants have signed up for the building? Financials?

What sort of tenants have signed up for the building? Financials?

They had a lease with Transport of London signed on back in 2006, then last year cancelled it because they felt they could get tenants at higher rents than originally signed for. Not sure if they signed anyone new since though.

Financial services seem the most likely, it's just across the river from the City.

by anthonySE1.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2bd301.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2iu89iq.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/dgpgg2.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/jrfsky.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2nlbuz8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/5716373944_32c75251b4_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566013@N05/

Shard times - the glittering symbol of London's future

Whoosh! The builders' lift at the Shard zooms up to the 31st floor of the skeletal skyscraper and the doors open to reveal what will one day be a public area buzzing with plush restaurants and cocktail bars.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2333/shard118251.jpg

Renzo Piano, the 73-year-old Italian architect of the building, steps out of the lift to admire the view. He breathes in the dusty air and smiles contentedly at the heady scent of a construction site in full swing. 'I love all this,' he says, gesturing to the machine pumping concrete to the top of the building, its rhythmic beat sounding like a gigantic heart. 'Designing is OK, but what excites me is making.'

He walks across to the windows and looks out over the City. Way down below us, Toytown size, we can see Tower Bridge and, across the river, St Paul's and the Gherkin. To the right is Canary Wharf, while over to the left we spot Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Already the Shard is the most talked-about new building in London, its 72-storey core visible from practically every street corner, train carriage or bridge. But the best is yet to come: when the tower reaches its full height of 310m - the tallest building in the EU - and opens completely in 2013, members of the public will be able to ride to the top and get the most thrilling new view of the capital since the London Eye opened in 2000.

Naturally Piano is proud of his achievement, and indeed without his gravitas to convince both planners and financiers the whole scheme might never have got off the ground. He is an architect of impeccable credentials, still best known for the Pompidou Centre in Paris, which he designed in partnership with Richard Rogers when he was just 33. Since then his record for producing some of the world's most admired modern buildings - Kansai airport in Japan, the Paul Klee museum in Switzerland, and the recent extension to the Art Institute of Chicago among them - has stood him in good stead. But the fact that he is the most urbane of men also helps. Today he is dressed in a tweed jacket, pale blue open-neck shirt, cashmere jumper and beige trousers. He is tall, slim and distinguished looking, with grey hair, silver glasses and twinkling grey-blue eyes. He speaks English with a lyrical Italian accent and talks poetically about architecture as the stuff of magic, dreams and desire. It is hard not to fall under his spell.

But Piano's skills as both designer and diplomat have been tested to the limit over the decade since the Shard was first mooted. The project started as the brainchild of the developer Irvine Sellar, who bought the site next to London Bridge station in 1998. Sellar, a colourful character who once owned a chain of shops called Mates selling bell-bottom jeans, had a vision for a skyscraper to replace the shabby existing building and asked a firm of British architects to draw up plans. But early in the process he was advised that he would need a world-class architect if he expected the authorities to look favourably on his audacious proposal. With this in mind he paid a visit to Piano on the site of his building in Potsdamer Platz, Berlin. Piano remembers the meeting well. 'We went to a restaurant and I started sketching straight away,' he says. 'Irvine had a fantasy and I believed in it right from the start.'

The project has hit the skids several times since then: first when it was subjected to a year-long public inquiry, and second when the world financial crisis hobbled several of its investors. With construction costs for the tower of around £415 million, finding new backers was no easy task and only when Sellar signed a deal with the Qatar National Bank, which now owns about 80 per cent of the building, did work on the Shard finally begin.

Today, Piano is in London to inspect progress on the skyscraper, which he refers to as his 'baby'. He's travelled by Eurostar from Paris, the city that became his home after he moved there to oversee the construction of the Pompidou Centre in the early 1970s. He lives there with his wife Milly, also an architect, and his 11-year-old son Giorgio. He has three older children from a previous marriage. The family divide their time between Paris and Piano's home city of Genoa, where he has a spectacular cliff-top office accessible only by funicular. In London he stays with Richard Rogers in his cavernous Chelsea townhouse - 'We are like brothers,' he says - and eats at the River Café, the restaurant owned by Rogers' wife Ruth. 'Ruthie learned to cook with us in Paris,' explains Piano. 'We were her guinea pigs.' The two families also spend holidays together every year, and take trips on Piano's 72ft sailing boat, which he designed in collaboration with two American naval architects. 'I built my first boat when I was 18,' he explains, 'but it's too complicated to design a big boat like this alone.' In short, he lives the jet-set life of a superstar architect who has grown rich on fees that are charged as percentages of multimillion-pound projects (even a modest two per cent fee on the Shard would net his practice a cool £8.3 million).

But life for Renzo Piano hasn't always been like this. He was born in Genoa in 1937 and grew up in an Italy ravaged by dictatorship and war. 'I was eight years old when the war ended and so I became an inbuilt optimist because every day from then on was a better day, the street became a bit cleaner, the food became a bit better.' His father was a builder whose workload grew during the reconstruction and young Renzo helped him on his jobs. 'I learned that there is a pleasure in building things,' he says. He had an older brother, also called Renzo, who died before he was born and this, he says, contributed to his determination to succeed. He studied architecture in Milan in the early 1960s and moved to London in 1969 to set up partnership with Rogers. He has fond memories of the three years he lived in Hampstead and his love for the city dates back to that time. It is only in the last year, however, that he has completed his first building here: Central St Giles, a brightly coloured office development behind Centre Point. What does he think his new skyscraper will do for the London?

Piano is quick to promote what he sees as the Shard's innovations. 'It's like a vertical town,' he claims. 'Ten thousand people a day will work in or visit this building because it has offices, a hotel, shops, restaurants and apartments, as well as the viewing galleries. That is something new. This building will become part of London because everybody can visit and mix; that is the nature of good cities.' He also points out that it has only 42 parking spaces: 'So you don't increase the traffic around it but you intensify the life.' As part of the project the dismal concourse at London Bridge station will be replaced and a new public piazza will be opened above it. 'So it will also bring some order to a place that needed it.' Finally, he says, 'If this building is great, it will be because of the glass.' Here he is referring to the 11,000 panels of hi-tech glass in the tower which have had the iron removed to make them completely clear. As a result, he explains, the building 'won't look green like an empty wine bottle' or dark like a pair of sunglasses, but will reflect the weather and the colour of the sky.

Although the Shard has had some high-profile detractors - English Heritage chief executive Simon Thurley raged that it drove 'a spike through the heart of historic London', while the Prince of Wales predictably likened it to an oversized salt cellar - London's design experts are generally enthusiastic. Peter Murray, the chairman of New London Architecture, the centre for debate on the capital's design and planning issues, says, 'I like it as a building, it's a massive improvement on the ghastly lot that was there before. The mixed use of space is creative and the public can go to the top, that's something you can do in at least a dozen buildings in Manhattan but it's new here. It's also interesting for Southwark. Forty years ago it was in a bad way economically and socially and now Tate Modern and the Shard have brought work and other amenities. You might think it's pretty distasteful to have luxury apartments when there's a housing shortage, but it reflects how London's economy is operating on different criteria to the rest of Britain. Twenty-five years ago it was a stuffy, local place, now it's a global city that attracts international finance. On balance I would say that benefits London. I think we will see the Shard become one of the defining symbols of London during the Olympics.'

Londoners may already have taken the Shard to their hearts, but so far the property market is more cautious. Despite the Titanic-style 'newest, tallest, best' kind of publicity, the offices have yet to be pre-let. A luxury hotel chain, Shangri-La, has taken 18 of the mid-level floors, while floors 53 to 65 are earmarked for the apartments. Prices for these have not yet been released, but speculation is that they will be in the same bracket as the Candy brothers development One Hyde Park, designed by Piano's friend Richard Rogers, where flats range from £6.75 million for one bedroom to £135 million for a penthouse.

None of this is Piano's problem, he is more concerned about the long-term legacy of the building. At the end of our meeting we turn back to a model of the Shard, with its miniature impression of St Paul's across the river. 'Every era has a story to tell,' says Piano. 'The story of St Paul's told by Christopher Wren is a good story. The story of the Shard is a different story, but if it's a good story, then what is wrong?' He stops for a moment and thinks. 'I am still a little boy inside, but with 60 years of growing and learning. You store experiences in your mind - social, artistic, historical - and all those things come together in a building, like in good food. Like in a good bouillabaisse.' It's a nice analogy - the Shard as an architectural fish soup. Let's just hope it turns out to be as delicious as it looks.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/article-23949681-shard-times---the-glittering-symbol-of-londons-future.do

Some more stunning aerial shots from flickr:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/5710199342_f5cb8077b6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566013@N05/5710199342/)
london balloon flight 045 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566013@N05/5710199342/) by dpe74 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39566013@N05/), on Flickr

spot big ben below ;)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/5709609651_e6cc08961e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566013@N05/5709609651/)
london balloon flight 033 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/39566013@N05/5709609651/) by dpe74 (http://www.flickr.com/people/39566013@N05/), on Flickr

:drool: :applause:

A small assortment of photos taken over the course of today

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110513_0001.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110513_0010.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110513_0012.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110513_0095.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110513_0109.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1104.jpg

Nice posts everyone, let me post some more pics of the Shard taken by wawd

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5687656213_13025beafe_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687656213/)
[/url] by wawd (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687656213/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5687738029_8005ab0d1c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687738029/)
by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/wawd/]wawd (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wawd/5687738029/)

I always love the blurry effect in wawd's pics.

by The Shard Baby.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/5715906291_b8a7432dc4_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5715906291/)
shard today Friday 13.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5715906291/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

It's become a landmark already from a general perspective. Let's hope it turns out to be just that.

^^Those aerial pics above reassure that. :yes:

by anthonySE1.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2irrbbq.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2uoo26o.jpg

by The Shard Baby.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/5718782787_e02d19825b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5718782787/)
shard today 14.5.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby/5718782787/) by The Shard Baby (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby/), on Flickr

50% has done?

Certainly more than that, look at the diagram.

Southwark residents 'to get Shard skyscraper jobs'

The developers behind London's tallest building have vowed to make around 150 jobs available to local people when it opens in 2012. At 1,017ft, The Shard, based at London Bridge, will house up to 12,000 workers when the project is completed.

Developer Sellar Group said it wanted 75% of service and building management jobs to go to residents from the area.

Many of these will come via Southwark College which will offer tailor-made courses for these roles. The policy is meant to prevent all jobs in The Shard being taken by workers from outside Southwark. However, some residents said they were worried local people would mainly end up filling lower-skilled roles in the £450 development, which will include office space, restaurants and apartments.

James Sellar, chief executive, of Sellar Group, said: "This sort of project is really successful when it grounds itself in the local neighbourhood, and we want to make sure that people in the local area relate to it."Ruth Gilbert, chief executive of Southwark College said: "Sellar has engaged with the community and with training providers such as ourselves and said these are the jobs we know we will need to run the building as a starting point. Help us to find people who can do these jobs."

Councillor Fiona Colley, of Southwark Council, said the area has seen the creation of many new jobs during the past decade, but that it still had a much higher rate of unemployment than other parts of London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13401241

£450 development?

That got past the BBC's editors I think it's costing more than that.

:lol:

edit: I've sent the BBC a note about the missing millions...

So tall, glassy and nice. Love this tower!

By Jimpsie
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/5717654925_c563381b65_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60804338@N08/5717654925/sizes/l/in/photostream/

:master:

by Shardview77.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/5722014996_89424c04e5_b.jpg

by anthonySE1.

http://i54.tinypic.com/16adv02.jpg

m7V2FRyQo_k

just found a nice shot off flickr, the cladding looks spectacular:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/5722079555_89c8e9f7fe_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aguichard/5722079555/)
The Shard (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aguichard/5722079555/) by aurélien. (http://www.flickr.com/people/aguichard/), on Flickr

It's a gigantic mirror. :cheers2:

by anthonySE1.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2rqon4m.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5110/5723658596_f17188b5ba_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckersbert/5723658596/)
[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/beckersbert/]BertBeckers (http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckersbert/5723658596/)

Awesome structure

:bow:

From March but only uploaded today by Mace.

Xq1AMKz1ySc

Thank you, Porto. But i am ashamed of The Guy :doh:

A small assortment of pics taken today


Jamaica Road SE16

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0048.jpg


Abbey Street SE16

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0054.jpg


Round site this evening before I caught my train

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0112.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0113.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0114.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0119.jpg

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0121.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/5726498436_ba20f75aca_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498436/)
Shard from Borough High Street (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498436/) by Duncan~ (http://www.flickr.com/people/duncanh1/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/5726498428_8ed4a2155b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498428/)
Shard from across the Thames (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498428/) by Duncan~ (http://www.flickr.com/people/duncanh1/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5135/5726498408_a379cc94e7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498408/)
Shard from the Thames Path (http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanh1/5726498408/) by Duncan~ (http://www.flickr.com/people/duncanh1/), on Flickr

Excellent updates! :applause:

Great pics Cybertect and the street name Jamaica is nice :D

By Jelle H and Oatmeal_Stout
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5729155734_9bd3e4d323_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jelle96/5729155734/)
[/url] by Jelle H. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jelle96/5729155734/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5727885583_523436287b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oatmeal_stout/5727885583/)
by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/oatmeal_stout/]Oatmeal_Stout (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oatmeal_stout/5727885583/)

The sun reflecting in this last one. :drool:

My favourite from the lot. I dont know what it is about it... great compostion maybe. Outstanding photograph! :cheers:

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110516_0113.jpg

Well that's looking good now...

Great building! :D

Everytime I see it I get excited for what it's gonna look like when it's done :cheers:

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1346.jpg

Thanks percy. I agree, that's my favourite of that bunch.

Lunch time stroll today testing out a new lens purchased via a well known auction site.

Well, I say new, but it's about 35 years old; a Canon FD 35mm f/2 SSC. Suffice to say I'm happy with it. :)

Oh, black and white because I felt like it...



http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0055.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0059.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0061.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0062.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0064.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0068.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0069.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0070.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0071.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0072.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0074.jpg


http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/20110517_0088.jpg

Excellent updates and attention to detail. :cheers1:

Yup, excellent B&W's Rob. Is that the infinity pool we can see? :D

This building kind of reminds me a little of the bottom of One World Trade Centre NYC.
Can't wait to see this one finished, going to make look amazing on London's skyline.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/5733535556_cb1dc8a366_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55697347@N06/5733535556/)
[/url] by St Reatham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55697347@N06/5733535556/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5732988197_2d69d44e11_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55697347@N06/5732988197/)
by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/55697347@N06/]St Reatham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55697347@N06/5732988197/)

Yup, excellent B&W's Rob. Is that the infinity pool we can see? :D

Where is it? :D My eyes don't give so much attention to details.

It seems like the top of the core has been exposed forever. I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but when are they going to finish the superstructure?

It seems like the top of the core has been exposed forever. I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but when are they going to finish the superstructure?

when it gets to the top

by chest.

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1179.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1341.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1238.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_1242.jpg

When is The Shard supposed to be completed?

When is The Shard supposed to be completed?

Depends what you mean by 'completed'

Structurally complete or fitted out and habitable?

when it gets to the top

Do you mean when the cladding of the already-constructed portion is done, or are you being unhelpful?

The inauguration is due to happen in May 2012 but it won't open to the general public until 2013.

Why does The Shard has a big core in the middle and other supertalls like Mercury City Tower in Moscow and 1WTC in NY don't?
What's the difference and which construction way is faster?

Why does The Shard has a big core in the middle and other supertalls like Mercury City Tower in Moscow and 1WTC in NY don't?
What's the difference and which construction way is faster?

It's because the Shard contains a giant antimatter accelerator with which we will destroy the sun, and the others don't. The sun may have set on the British Empire but we're going out on our terms.

^^ interesting. What would we gain from destroying the sun?

And I'm pretty sure shard is due to open may 2012?

It's because the Shard contains a giant antimatter accelerator with which we will destroy the sun, and the others don't. The sun may have set on the British Empire but we're going out on our terms.

^^:lol::lol::lol:

The sun may have set on the British Empire but we're going out on our terms.

PMSL :lol:

I actually cant wait until this is completed! When the top spire is completed this is going to sparkle in the skyline and shine in the night! I so badly want to move into an apartment in Southwark, possibly in one of the town houses underneath. Haa :)

I actually cant wait until this is completed! When the top spire is completed this is going to sparkle in the skyline and shine in the night! I so badly want to move into an apartment in Southwark, possibly in one of the town houses underneath. Haa :)

And don't forget to put a laser on top of it! :D

Someone please answer me, how tall is the Shard now, current height including core.

About 280 meters?

This building is going to look the absolute nuts when completed and will be so very photogenic, just what London needed. To all the people that comment in the local london papers moaning about what an eyesore it is.... shut the hell up :) And if your view of St Pauls is hinderd because of this building then here is a word of advise... If the shard is blocking your view its probably because you are standing right behind it, try viewing st pauls from a different angle (its not rocket science)

Shard - Best thing in london since sliced bread!

This building is going to look the absolute nuts when completed and will be so very photogenic, just what London needed. To all the people that comment in the local london papers moaning about what an eyesore it is.... shut the hell up :) And if your view of St Pauls is hinderd because of this building then here is a word of advise... If the shard is blocking your view its probably because you are standing right behind it, try viewing st pauls from a different angle (its not rocket science)

Shard - Best thing in london since sliced bread!

:cheers:

the tower looks so beautiful!

Something a little different... I've been playing with Photosynth on my iPhone, which allows you to create 360° panoramas with remarkable ease.

Here's a few taken this lunch time. Click each link to view on photosynth.net.

http://mslabs-000.vo.llnwd.net/d6/photosynth/m6/panoramas/53/d9/0a/53d90a6f-3b2c-4aa9-8439-533d52c00c8a_files/thumb.jpg

View from Tower Bridge (http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=53d90a6f-3b2c-4aa9-8439-533d52c00c8a&)



http://mslabs-003.vo.llnwd.net/d6/photosynth/m6/panoramas/66/53/a3/6653a34d-b1f6-4a40-952f-eb5177560822_files/thumb.jpg

St Thomas Street Footbridge (http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=6653a34d-b1f6-4a40-952f-eb5177560822&m=false&i=0:0:0&c=0:0:0&z=527.227296888231&d=-1.20919957615615:-1.20919957615614:-1.20919957615614&p=0:0&t=False)



http://mslabs-003.vo.llnwd.net/d3/photosynth/m6/panoramas/a8/29/e9/a829e996-43b1-4bbd-82b0-bfc0828d27e3_files/thumb.jpg

London Bridge Street (http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=a829e996-43b1-4bbd-82b0-bfc0828d27e3&m=false&i=0:0:0&c=0:0:0&z=527.227296888231&d=-0.738129950690118:-0.168613440558825:-0.427706848564741&p=0:0&t=False)


http://mslabs-000.vo.llnwd.net/d6/photosynth/m6/panoramas/5a/24/3a/5a243ae5-9424-49d6-99a8-797652082404_files/thumb.jpg

The London Bridge 'spike' (http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=5a243ae5-9424-49d6-99a8-797652082404&m=false&i=0:0:0&c=0:0:0&z=527.227296888231&d=-1.11286142813231:-0.452552310312587:-0.679869686135992&p=0:0&t=False)

And here's another thing: I spotted this cage hanging off the top TC, carrying a couple of passengers aloft.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0588.jpg

then, a few minutes later, this helicopter turns up and starts buzzing around The Shard like someone is filming or taking photos.

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0601.jpg

Coincidence?

Looks like the guy from extreme engineering from Discovery Channel

Looks like the guy from extreme engineering from Discovery Channel

This tower certainly deserves an episode. :cheers2:

by DMK.

http://i51.tinypic.com/vp7pcj.jpg

That´s good that such a beautiful tower will arise on southern bank :) I like the city of london round shaped character more than the boxy one of canary wharf :cheers:

Some other photos taken this lunch time.

Joiner Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0538.jpg


South side from St Thomas Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0541.jpg


That passenger cage a little closer to [from the footbridge]

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0543.jpg


West side from London Bridge Street

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0546.jpg


NW corner from the bus station

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0556.jpg


North side from London Bridge Walk

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0571.jpg


Station roof pyramid and Shard from London Bridge Walk

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j427/cybertects/Shard/20110519_0577.jpg

:applause:

Does anyone know a good high point where you can clearly see London skyline (except Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill etc)

@cyber terrific capture :cheers:

This building is going to look the absolute nuts when completed and will be so very photogenic, just what London needed. To all the people that comment in the local london papers moaning about what an eyesore it is.... shut the hell up :) And if your view of St Pauls is hinderd because of this building then here is a word of advise... If the shard is blocking your view its probably because you are standing right behind it, try viewing st pauls from a different angle (its not rocket science)

Shard - Best thing in london since sliced bread!

So true :)

People that constantly criticise this should be around in 50 years. :)

today :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2267/5738545296_9fca444386_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5181/5738548020_d545767e30_z.jpg

I love the shiny cristal curtain of the building, it looks simple and yet the shape is totally unsymmetrical. I'm not an arquitect nor have much knowledge about it but this definetly looks to my eyes like the modern modernism. Does that even make sense? lol.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/5738702866_47374787de_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42665617@N07/5738702866/)
[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/42665617@N07/]TheStouche (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42665617@N07/5738702866/)

Does anyone know a good high point where you can clearly see London skyline (except Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill etc)

South East London also has some pretty good views.

NICE!!!!!

South East London also has some pretty good views.

Can you confirm the place specifically? I am going to visit London tomorrow :banana: :carrot:

Can you confirm the place specifically? I am going to visit London tomorrow :banana: :carrot:

Greenwich Park?

^ Nearest station is Greenwich DLR station?