London’s skyline is constantly evolving. There are numerous irregular shaped structures complete with appropriate nicknames populating the centre of the capital. Joining such iconic buildings as the Shard, the Gherkin, the Walkie-Talkie will be a number of new high-rise buildings. 1 Undershaft Nicknamed the Trellis and measuring 309.6m in height, the 73-storey tower will be the same height as the Shard and sit between two other iconic capital buildings, the Cheesegrater and the Gherkin. Designed by Eric Parry Architects and commissioned by Singapore-based Aroland Holdings, the tower will provide 90,000 sq m of office space for London’s financial district. The design of 1 Undershaft is a very deliberate distancing from some of the more ostentatious buildings sprouting up in recent years across London. Speaking on his plans and the building’s location, architect Eric Parry said: “It is the last piece in the jigsaw so I wanted to do something that isn’t flamboyant.” 1 Undershaft will offer a viewing gallery that will be free to members of the public, a restaurant and an education centre for school trips located on the top floor, which will be served by a dedicated elevator. The tower will look to play its part in reducing congestion within the capital with the creation of 1,500 cycle parking spaces to cater for the expected 10,000 office staff at the Undershaft. Showers and changing facilities will be on hand to further encourage people to get on their bikes. In terms of sustainability, the building’s façade will house horizontal fins that will reduce solar glare and the tower’s cooling load. Eric Parry commented: “1 Undershaft will create more of the quality office space that is desperately needed in the capital and will reconnect the city’s tall building cluster with the public.’ “This building will set new standards for the City in terms of comfort, quality, environmental sustainability and putting the public at the heart of the tower. “Most tall buildings are used Monday to Friday but 1 Undershaft will be used seven days a week, with the public able to enjoy the new public square, viewing platform and restaurant every day. It will be the jewel in the crown of the City of London and something we hope Londoners will be very proud of.” If you’re at all curious about the naming of the building, please do not look to the shape of the building for your answer. Architect Eric Parry was keen to restore a visual link between two of London’s oldest churches, the neighbouring St Andrew Undershaft and St Helen’s Bishopsgate. St Andrew Undershaft was so named due to a huge maypole that overlooked the church from adjacent land in the 1500s. This led to the church being described as undershaft as a descriptive name for the church’s location. The building has been in the planning stage since July and a planning application will be made to the City of London early next year. 22 Bishopsgate (formerly the Pinnacle or Helter Skelter) This new 62-storey skyscraper was recently granted planning permission by the City of London’s planning and transportation committee. The structure will be a revived version of the tower formerly known as the Pinnacle or Helter Skelter and will be officially known as 22 Bishopsgate. Standing at 278m, the building will no longer have the unique curled or tapered design at its peak that gave it its earlier nicknames and instead have a much broader width. 22 Bishopsgate will provide enough office space for over 11,500 people. There will also be spaces available within the building for food stalls, a library and medical and wellbeing facilities. The top of the building will host a restaurant and bar plus a free to visit viewing gallery. The new design was created by PLP Architecture and will be designed to attain a BREEAM Excellent sustainability rating. Echoing the thoughts behind the design of 1 Undershaft, Sir Stuart Lipton of the project’s developers, Lipton Rogers, said that the new design of 22 Bishopsgate would be a “quiet, elegant building, something that’s not too flamboyant. The City can’t be full of fireworks. When there are too many fireworks, they become a distraction.” Construction is expected to begin in early 2016 and be completed in 2019. The Rolling Pin Another distinctive looking creation, this as yet unnamed building has been dubbed the Rolling Pin due its circular look and is situated at Canary Wharf. It reminded me of a partially eaten corn on the cob but good luck marketing that. The 57-storey tower has been designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and stands at 219m, which will make it the tallest solely residential building in London. It will contain 468 apartments, ranging from studios to three-bedroom family homes and is part of a large-scale residential expansion formerly known as Wood Wharf in east London but is now called the New Phase. The Canary Wharf Group secured planning permission for the Rolling Pin back in July and is looking to create a more residential feel to the area. Commenting on the project’s approval, Sir George Iacobescu, Canary Wharf Group Chairman and Chief Executive said: “This decision is a major step in the progression of the New Phase, a development that will broaden and extend the Canary Wharf estate, adding to its vibrancy and continually expanding cultural, community and commercial offer.” Morello Tower The 55-storey Morello Tower is part of a £1Bn regeneration development in Croyden and is described by architects, Make, as a ‘vertical street”. The tower will be clad in bronze anodised aluminium and contain 433 residential units, plus ground and first floor retail spaces and a number of communal amenity spaces at different levels. The scheme comprises of four distinctive buildings along Cherry Orchard Road, including a 17-storey four-star boutique hotel sitting adjacent to Morello Tower. Oliver Wainwright writing in the Guardian described the tower as a “monstrous ‘Gotham City’ mega-block”. You may need to have a Bruce Wayne-style income to afford one of the luxury apartments. When

Great Western Developments Ltd, a subsidiary of Singaporean publicly listed Hotel Properties Limited, and its development partner Sellar Property Group today announces it has formally submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office at 31 London Street, situated adjacent to Paddington Station. The proposed development has been designed by one of the world’s finest architects, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, and will dramatically transform this part of London.   It is proposed that the development will be known as Paddington Place.   The multi-use scheme will deliver over an acre of new public realm. It will include a well-designed elegant piazza, transforming the area and creating a true sense of ‘place’. The centrepiece will be a new landmark for London, a crystal light-reflecting tower set to become a major marker for Paddington, one of London’s most important transport hubs. It will include a sky garden and restaurant, featuring mature trees and plants in the open-air, creating a unique experience for visitors.   The ramp that serves as Paddington Station’s entrance will be removed and the whole area in front of the station opened up. There will be the opportunity to extend the station concourse into generous new public open space, benefitting the tens of thousands of passengers that use the station each day. The piazza will improve connectivity and establish a new ‘front door’ for this famously designed Brunel station.   To improve the rail passenger experience, a new and enlarged Bakerloo Line ticket hall (approximately four times larger than at present) will be created and illuminated by natural light from vaulted glass ceilings. Connectivity to the Circle/District and Bakerloo Line platforms will be enhanced, reached from a new point of access/egress, and will ease congestion from the entrance’s present, cramped location. As part of the reconfiguration, London Street will be realigned and augmented by an elegant suspension bridge. The entire scheme has been designed to provide enhanced linkages into the St Mary’s Hospital estate.   The end of 2018 will see the opening of Crossrail, together with upgrades to stations, platforms, signalling and trains serving the M4 corridor to Wales and South West England – all of which aim to  address the vast increase in passenger footfall through Paddington, which is predicted to rise to over 60 million per year by 2031. Following this 50% increase from today’s passenger numbers, the area needs to be revitalised if its built environment is to appropriately reflect the significance of this key gateway, and to adequately support Paddington Station’s developing importance to London.   There will also be 100,000sq. ft. of office space, with floorplates specifically designed to accommodate small to medium sized high-growth industries. This development will be further enhanced by 50,000 sq. ft. of high-quality retail and leisure space at Praed Street, rail concourse and tube station levels, which will breathe new life into the area.   Chris Lim, Group Executive Director of Hotel Properties Limited, commented: “This is a unique opportunity involving an investment of over £1 billion to provide many public benefits and a scheme which we believe will drive further investment in the wider area.”   Irvine Sellar, Chairman of Sellar Property Group, commented: “This exciting transformational  development will enhance  this important part of central London. Paddington’s transport interchange will be fit for purpose for the 21st Century and the wider mixed-use development and public space  will enhance the way residents, visitors, businesses and their people live work and play, and will make a major contribution in revitalising  this district.”