Top Facts About The Shard
It’s the tallest building in Western Europe with 95 storeys and a height of 310m (1,016ft). That makes it almost one-and-a-half times the height of London’s previously tallest building at Canary Wharf. There are 44 lifts, including double-decker lifts, and 306 flights of stairs.
The Shard was designed by architect Renzo Piano, also known for his work on the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Renzo Piano has described his vision for the building as a vertical city. He has also described how he imagines the glass tower to reflect London’s ever changing sky and skyline.
The building opens to the public on 1st February 2013. The viewing gallery is situated on floors 68, 69 and 72 and offers 360 degree views over the London skyline. On a clear day you can see for 40 miles. All tickets are dated and timed and should be booked in advance to avoid disappointment. Tickets are expensive, however, with the price for a family of four being nearly 100 pounds Sterling, or about $150. Former London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, has complained about the cost, saying that London’s children should be given one free entry to the viewing gallery.
The top nine floors are left open to the elements. The upper viewing gallery, at a height of 244 metres is exposed to the sky with sounds of the city around you.
The building has 72 habitable floors and contains shops, offices, thee levels of restaurants, a 5-star hotel leased by luxury Asian hotelier Shangri-La and residential apartments. The ground-floor is a public area with seating and plants.
Not only is the entire building shaped like a solid pyramid of glass, but the very pinnacle is constructed from individual shards stretching up into the sky. In total, 11,000 panes of glass were used in its construction.
Apartments in The Shard are priced at up to £50 million. Ten of the properties are expected to fetch between £30m and £50m each. The 62,000 square feet apartments, all featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, are situated on floors 53 to 65. The penthouse is at a height of 735ft.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, abseiled from the 87th floor of the tower to raise money for charity. To know more please check here.
Sustainability is built into the design and construction of The Shard. 50% of the steel used in the building came from recycled sources. Altogether an incredible 95% of the construction materials were recycled. A triple skin of glass minimises the need for air conditioning and allows maximum use of natural light. Combined heat and power reduces CO2 emissions. The Shard is easily accessible via public transport, being located next door to London Bridge Station.
The project was opposed by local planners and by English Heritage. It is rumoured that English Heritage claimed that the building would be like “a shard of glass through the heart of historic London”, and from this criticism the name of the building was derived. Construction of The Shard began in 2009 and it was completed just three years later in 2012. Some critics say that the Shard has ruined London’s skyline, but it seems to be popular with the public. To acquire much more information with regards to http://www.tripindicator.com/views-from-shard.html kindly stop by the webpage.
