The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Door, Column, BeamThe Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Image 3 of 27The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Beam, SteelThe Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Facade, Cityscape, WindowsThe Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - More Images+ 22

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Cityscape, Waterfront
© Richard Bryant – Courtesy of British Land/Oxford Properties

Text description provided by the architects. The building comprises a number of distinct architectural elements that provide clarity to the composition both as a whole and as a legible expression of its constituent parts. These elements include the primary stability structure, the ladder frame, the office floor plates, the northern support core, the external envelope and the public realm.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Beam
© Richard Bryant – Courtesy of British Land/Oxford Properties

The structure aims to reinforce the geometry defined by the development envelope, which in turn creates the distinctive tapering form, and takes the form of a perimeter braced ‘tube’ that defines the extent of the floor plates. The ladder frame contributes to the vertical emphasis of the building, and encloses the fire-fighting cores that serve the office floors. The frame also visually anchors the building to the ground.

Section

The office floors take the form of simple rectangular floor plates which progressively diminish in depth by 750 millimetres towards the apex. Office floors are connected to the structural ‘tube’ at every floor level without the need for secondary vertical columns at the perimeter.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Facade, Cityscape, Windows
© Richard Bryant – Courtesy of British Land/Oxford Properties

The northern support core is conceived as a detached tower containing all passenger and goods lifts, service risers, on-floor plant and WCs. Three groups of passenger lifts serve the low, mid and high rise sections of the building, and are connected by two transfer lobbies at levels ten and 24.

Northern Support Core Model

The position of the northern support core relative to the office areas means that the structure is not required to be over-clad with fire protection, allowing the whole to be designed and expressed as visible steelwork. This articulated steel frame provides clarity to the whole assemblage.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Door, Column, Beam
© Lee Mawdsley

The highly transparent glazed enclosure makes manifest the structure and movement systems within; its physical presence is a striking and dynamic addition to the City and a unique spectacle for the enjoyment for passers-by.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Handrail
© Lee Mawdsley

The building is designed to express all the constituent elements behind a single glazed envelope. Facades to the office areas require the highest comfort criteria in relation to heat loss, daylight, glare control and solar gain. Here, the facade is supplemented with an internal layer of double-glazing, forming a cavity which incorporates the structural frame. The external glazing incorporates vents at node levels to allow outside air to enter and discharge from the cavity. Controlled blinds in the cavity automatically adjust to limit unwanted solar gain and glare.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Windows, Facade, Cityscape
© Richard Bryant – Courtesy of British Land/Oxford Properties

The lower levels of the building are recessed on a raking diagonal to create a large public space that opens up to the south. The spectacular scale of the semi-enclosed, cathedral-like space is without precedent in London and will create a major new meeting place and a unique destination in itself. Overlooking the space are generous terrace areas within a bar and restaurant that provide animation and views into the public space and beyond. This enclosure is open at ground level to give access from all directions. The public space is fully accessible by means of a large, gently raked surface connecting St Helen’s Square with Leadenhall Street.

The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners - Beam, Facade, Steel
© Paul Raftery
  • Project Team: Aaron Massingham, Aleksandrina Rizova, Amy Learmonth, Andrew Yek, Andy Young, Andy Bryce, Ben Nicholls, Benjamin Darras, Carmel Lewin, Charles Meloy, Christine Geneste, Colin Moriarty, Daniel Behr, Daniel Lewis, Daniel Wright, Dirk Krolikowski, Eleanora Bressi, Jack Newton, Jacqueline Yeung, James Chapman, Jan Guell, Joanna Pencakowski, Jo-anne Cowen, John Mcelgunn, Justin Lau, Kairo Baden-Powell, Louise Palomba, Mark Gorton, Mark Hallett, Maurice Brennan, Nic Mitchell, Patricia Sendin, Rory Kofoed, Russell Gilchrist, Serena Croxson, Simon Davis, Simon Tonks, Stephen Light, Tim Mason, William Thorne, William Wimshurst, Zoe Webber
  • Engineer: Arup
  • Strategic Planning & Consultation Strategy: M3 Consulting
  • Townscape Consultant: Francis Golding
  • Cdm Coordinato: Bovis Lend
  • Lease Building Inspector: Corporation of London DS Office
  • Cad Software: Bentley Microstation
  • Partners In Charge: Andrew Morris, Graham Stirk, Richard Rogers
  • Client: The British Land Company plc
  • Strategic Planning And Consultation Strategy: M3 Consulting
  • Cdm Coordinator: Bovis Lend Lease
  • Country: United Kingdom
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Project location

Address:122 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4QT, UK

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "The Leadenhall Building / Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners" 11 Sep 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/547041/the-leadenhall-building-rogers-stirk-harbour-partners> ISSN 0719-8884

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