There are many new, glass structures around the world, but one of my favorite ones is the Shard. The Shard is a unique 72-story tower in the center of London, England designed by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano. The majority of its floors are used as office spaces, but there is also a restaurant on one of the highest floors and an observation deck on the 72nd floor that overlooks London and the surrounding countryside. The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and the seventh tallest building in all of Europe.
The Shard’s construction began in 2009 and was completed in 2012. Piano used 95% recycled material to construct it. It is one of the most eco-friendly buildings in the United Kingdom. The Shard is constructed with a stable frame, which allows it to move up to 20 inches during high winds, but a thick concrete core for fire safety and emergency escape routes.
The Shard is shaped like a pyramid and covered in glass, which appears to shoot up from the river Thames and low buildings in the surrounding area.The Shard’s exterior has over 11,000 panes of glass making up its intricate patterns.The unique design was inspired by the railway lines next to it—the windows running along the length of the building resemble railroad tracks. The glass panels are glazed with a special coating that allows them to reflect the weather and the skyline.
Piano envisioned the tower’s pyramidal shape as a modern interpretation of a classic church spire. However, many Londoners were concerned that a modern, glass structure would be out of place in an historical area of London. Thus, Piano’s design was highly criticized by the English, who believed it would be “a shard of glass through the heart of historic London.” This gave the building its name. Although it was originally to be called the London Bridge Tower, it is known widely as the Shard.
