The London Bridge Tower (The Shard)
London Bridge Tower, also known as the Shard, is a 87 storey mixed use tower (186546 m2) located besides London Bridge Station on the south bank of the river Thames. The project is a response to the Mayors policy of promoting high density development at key transport nodes. It includes the redevelopment of the train station concourse and bus station. The slender pyramidal form of the tower was determined by its prominence on the London skyline and it is suited to the variety of uses proposed: large floor plates for offices at the bottom, public areas and a hotel in the middle, apartments at the top.
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The main structural element is the slip formed concrete core in the centre of the building. Eight glass shards define the shape and visual quality of the tower. The passive double façade uses low-iron glass throughout, with a mechanised roller blind in the cavity providing solar shading.