LONDON | Bishopsgate Tower (The Pinnacle) | 288m | 63 fl | On Hold

[Remusable]

Originally Posted by zenith

why was it reduced in height ? what the hell is the differnce between 305 and 288 metres ???? none so why ? noone has yet given me a good reason why.

If there's no difference then why do you care..?

[wjfox]

Comparison with the HoP:

http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?18353033

[DarJoLe]

Originally Posted by zenith

why was it reduced in height ? what the hell is the differnce between 305 and 288 metres ???? none so why ? noone has yet given me a good reason why.

305m is the height limit of any structure imposed by the CAA over the City Of London, this is to include the height limit of cranes during the construction of the tower, therefore to accomodate the cranes the tower height had to be reduced to 288m.

[Dan1987]

Needless to say, due to the terrain of City, it will look 305m tall from angles where the base is hidden.

[Bikes]

Gorgeous tower!

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

And it's just gotten full Approval!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://international.difa.de/index2.php

25 April 2006
For immediate release

TALLEST BUILDING IN CITY OF LONDON GETS GO AHEAD

The Bishopsgate Tower has today received a resolution to grant approval from the City of London’s Planning and Transportation Committee and will become the tallest and largest building in prime City at 60 storeys and 288m tall. The development by the German capital investment company DIFA (Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AG) and the international architecture practice Kohn Peddersen Fox (KPF) will create a high quality addition to the London skyline and a fitting pinnacle to the growing City cluster of tall buildings.
The building is the best located of any of the towers planned being in the heart of the City of London, EC2 fronting Bishopsgate. It will create a vibrant new public realm within and around the site. A new pedestrian route through from Bishopsgate will open up and lead to an enhanced Crosby Square. This in turn links in to a series of new landscaped open spaces planned by others which will combine to create a significant amenity for this area.
Environmentally, The Bishopsgate Tower will be an exemplary building with investment in energy efficient measures minimising the carbon footprint of the building. There will be attractive skylobbies containing social and public space including a restaurant at level 43.
Large, flexible floor plates of up to 2,381 square metres are created on the lower floors. As the tower tapers upwards, floor plates reduce to create unique double height spaces at level 57. The overall gross external area of the development is 131, 511 square metres, offering approximately 88,000 square metres (circa 950,000 sq ft) of office accommodation over 47 floors between levels three and fifty three. Three levels of retail in the base provide a new concentration of public activity on Bishopsgate and St Helen’s Square. A total of 2,026 square metres A1 and A3 use is proposed on the Ground, 1st and 2nd floors.
Welcoming the Committee’s decision, Dr Frank Billand, Member of the Board of Directors of DIFA Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AG said:
“The Bishopsgate Tower will be a development of exceptional quality which has been carefully designed by KPF to create a vibrant commercial hub for this central City site whilst making a significant contribution to public realm.
“We are delighted that the City of London has resolved to grant approval for The Bishopsgate Tower and we look forward to progressing the development shortly. We believe that investing in the London property market represents a sound long-term strategy and the potential for a new global icon in the heart of Europe’s most important City is a very exciting prospect going forward.”

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

I'll post the news article that has just appeared on skyscrapernews.com

25 Apr 2006 > DIFA Bishopsgate Tower Approved

The Corporation of London has given the go-ahead to what will be the tallest building in the City of London, The Bishopsgate Tower developed by German fund management company DIFA and designed by architects KPF, after council planners presented a report recommending it be approved.
Nicknamed the Helter Skelter it sets new records of heights for the city rising to 288 metres and stand next to the existing 6-8 Bishopsgate Tower formerly occupied by Barings Bank. The scheme will see the demolition of the existing buildings on site.
When built it will contain 81,000 square metres of space, largely offices over 60 floors. The floors have been designed so they can easily be split into small sections or merged into one appealing to both large and small companies alike, the sort of ploy that has worked successfully in the past with multi-let towers. The largest single floor-plate available will be 2,381 square metres.
The blue glass tower largely tapers up to the top third that spirals into a spire. At ground level the tower terminates with what's been dubbed "the skirt". Wind modelling showed rather large downdrafts in the area and the best way to regulate for these was the architects idea of flaring out the structure at the bottom in the form of an extended canopy. As with the rest of the tower this will be clad in the same glass creating a flowing look from the sharp spire down to the curving bottom.
The going for the scheme hasn't been entirely easy, the Civil Aviation Authority insisted that almost 20 metres be sliced off the top for reasons of air safety whilst English Heritage and Westminster Council claimed that the tower would affect views from St James's Park and possible potential future sightlines that have yet to be decided. The previous architect, Murphy Jahn, had also left after conflicts with the client about the direction the scheme was heading.
The question now is when the tower will actually start construction? It's not certain whether DIFA will take the same ambitious stance as British Land are and begin building speculatively or wait for a substantial pre-let from an anchor tenant but either way it does set a new standard in sheer scale for the City of London.

[London_guy]

Great news!

[Ozzy]

Now come on London don't take another 10 years to get the thing built!

[capslock]

Well, walking down Bishopsgate will be an amazing experience in 10 years or so.

Nice building, even with the height reduction.

Oh and should Britannia still lurk from time to time, congratulations.

[gamma_ray_burst]

I love London

[wjfox]

Height comparison with the City's current tallest buildings, Tower 42 and 30 St Mary Axe:

[themongrel]

any idea when demo will start? glad this one got the go ahead will make it easier for alot of towers to go up in the city

[wjfox]

Possibly as soon as early 2007.

[jorgen]

Originally Posted by Jack Rabbit Slim

There will be attractive skylobbies containing social and public space including a restaurant at level 43.

Will level 43 be the highest level with public access? That's about same level as top of T42 and Swiss Re I guess.

There are 19 more levels. Are they planning any observation deck?
Perhaps they don't want to create too much public traffic.

[BenL]

Perhaps as LBT is having an observation deck, and there's the London Eye, they didn't think it would be economical?

[jorgen]

Anything that shortens the queues on the Eye is welcome.
Last time I had visitors we just dropped it...

LBT probably gives the best view anyway, as you get some distance to the City cluster.

[Tobi]

Is that 288 mtrs with or without the '20 mtrs slice'???

[capslock]

Originally Posted by Tobi

Is that 288 mtrs with or without the '20 mtrs slice'???

That's with the height reduction. It would have topped 300m otherwise.

[wjfox]

288m is still "supertall" by London's standards though