Europe's Second-Tallest Tower Gets the Go-Ahead

The tower would become the second tallest tower in Europe, after Renzo Piano's Shard, also in London, and the tallest in London's increasingly dense financial district. Per Eric Parry Architects, "1 Undershaft will create over 130,000sqm of quality Grade A office space," but it will also include a few public amenities: a public square at the base of the building, a retail gallery accessed from the square, and an education center and free public viewing gallery at the top of the building. From the last, as the below rendering indicates, people will be able to look down upon Norman Foster's 30 St. Mary Axe and the club room at its apex. Just as Foster's tower is known as "The Gherkin," Richard Rogers' angled Leadenhall tower goes by "The Cheesegrater," Parry's design is already being referred to as "the Trellis" for the expression of its diagonal cross bracing.

1 Undershaft is being developed by Singapore-based Aroland Holdings Limited as part of their effort "to develop tall buildings in capitals around the world," per CNN.