Top Facts about the Gherkin in London


 

Also known as 30 St Mary Axe, the Gherkin is a modern skyscraper right in the center of London. It was officially opened to the public in 2004 although construction was completed in December of 2013. It is a tall building but not amongst the tallest in London. It ranks at number 18 amongst the tall buildings of London.

The Gherkin in London is one of the city’s most widely recognized examples of contemporary architecture. It is aerodynamically designed thus reducing wind load on its structure- it allows the smooth flow of wind around the building. A look at the Gherkin also reveals its lower tapered part that allows the wind to wrap around it. It evident that the design of the Gherkin took into consideration London’s physical environment.

The entrance to the Gherkin is inviting with huge white X braces at the foot. Here are the top 10 facts about the Gherkin in London that make for some great knowledge to have.

1. The Gherkin in London was built after a bombing

Gherkin building in the background- by Fred Romero- Wikimedia Commons

The birth of the Gherkin in London came about after the 1992 bombing of the Baltic Exchange, in which the Chamber of Shipping and old buildings of the Baltic Exchange was severely damaged. This led to a controversial decision to put up a new building altogether at this site, thus the Gherkin was born.

2. The Gherkin in London has been sold severally

The Gherkin in London has been a lucrative building and has been sold at least twice in its lifetime. In 2006 it was put up for sale for £600 million. It sold for £630 million to “IVG Immobilien AG” and UK investment firm “Evans Randall.”

The new owners put it up for sale again in 2014 and sold for £700 million to the “Safra Group,” owned by Brazilian billionaire Joseph Safra. The Gherkin’s value seems to appreciate over time.

3. The Gherkin in London features the Baltic Exchange Memorial Glass

Stained glass window from Baltic Exchange- by Heidi De Vries- Wikimedia Commons

The top of the Gherkin’s panoramic dome is a curved piece of glass, the only curved piece in the dome. This piece is a nod to the iconic stained glass from the old Baltic Exchange whose destruction resulted in the building of the Gherkin.

The Gherkin had been built using an incredible amount of glass- the amount of glass used on the outside of the Gherkin is said to be enough to cover three soccer fields! Over 35 Kilometres of steel were used in the construction.

In keeping with the memory of the bombing, the remains of a Roman teenage girl unearthed during the construction of the building in 1995 were buried near the Gherkin.

4. The Gherkin in London houses diversified entities

The Gherkin in London is a massive building boasting 41 floors. 33 floors exclusively hold office spaces. The other floors are reserves for recreational areas such as the bar and restaurant as well as security floors.

5. The Gherkin in London is fitted with passive solar heating

The Gerkin semi aerial view- by Paste – Wikimedia Commons

For a building, its size the Gherkin in London consumes very little energy. In fact, it consumes half the energy a building its size would require. The Gherkin has been built with shafts in between floors which create the same effect as double- glazing used in homes. The result is insulation of each floor that leads to energy saving.

6. The Gherkins windows are automated

Like you would expect of a modern building of Gherkins’ proportions, this building is fitted with some of the most advanced technology, such as an automated window opening and closing system.  Opening the 745 windows of the Gherkin might otherwise have been an arduous task especially for the floors that do not have human occupation 24/ 7.

The Gherkins’ windows are designed to automatically open by a computer system that responds to signals from a mini weather station that transmits information on wind speed, sunlight, and temperature. The opening of these windows lets in natural light.

7. The Gherkin in London is an ideal spot for events

Inside Gherkins top floor- by Geekchic- Wikimedia Commons

Holding an event at the Gherkin in London guarantees guests a magnificent view of the city while they enjoy themselves.  It is no wonder that the Gherkin does indeed hold many events at the bar and restaurant.

Events that have been held at the Gherkin include business conferences, summer parties, weddings, and receptions.

8. The name ‘Gherkin’ was used for the building before launch

Gherkin entrance- by Cristian Bortes- Wikimedia Commons

By the time plans for the building were being submitted, the name Gherkin was already in use, such that at its construction and launch, ‘Gherkin’ was already a household name. ‘The Guardian’ from 1999 even made reference to it while the Gherkin’s construction began in 2001.

9. The Gherkin’s contractors are renowned

Close- up of the Gherkin at night- by CGP Grey- Wikimedia Commons

The Gherkin was worked on by only the best- it was designed by English architect Norman Foster, an award-winning and prolific British architect whose designs are sleek and modern, mostly made of steel and glass. He is also known to be innovative with the contouring and management of space.

Skanska which is a Swedish based company and the fifth largest construction company in the world worked on Gherkins’ construction.

10. The Gherkin in London’s height posed a concern for airplanes

Gherkin at night- by Diliff- Wikimedia Commons

The Gherkin would have been called ‘Millennium Tower’ standing at 386 meters with 92 floors but it settled for 180 meters- Heathrow Airport objected to a 386- meter Gherkin as this would have been problematic to airport’s flight plans.

In as much as the Gherkin settled for a shorter height and number of floors, it still installed nine aircraft warning lights glowing red as dusk falls to alert planes overhead- this must have gone on record as good Corporate Social Responsibility.

 

If you have watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Russell Crowe’s A Good Year, Sharon Stone’s Basic Instinct 2, and Woody Allen’s Match Point you may have caught a ‘Gherkin- looking’ building. The Gherkin does indeed feature in these and more films. It is a remarkable and unordinary looking building.

The Gherkin has won several architectural awards such as the Stirling Prize, the London Region Award, and the Emporis Skyscraper Award.

 

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