Property & Development Magazine Issue 427 | Page 54

FOCUS ON...

London
City Hall

Whilst it's all too easy to head to the capital

and interior may be, the structure’s appear-

when looking for examples of incredible

ance was, by no means, a simple style choice

architecture, structural design and proper-

and is in fact concerned with optimising the

ty feats, there are few that rival the accom-

building's energy efficiency so as to mitigate

plishment of London's City Hall. Completed

its carbon footprint. By minimising its surface

in 2002 at a construction at a cost of £43

area, the building's glass exterior poses nei-

million, the hall now plays host to Mayor of

ther problems of over-heating nor casts a

London, Boris Johnson, and forms part of

shadow over proximal walkways.

the city's continual redevelopment as well

Amongst, photovoltaic cells integrated

as being an incredible piece of architecture

into the building in 2007, City Hall also makes

to adorn the streets of London itself.

use of HVAC control systems, natural ventila-

Having worked across a number of proj-

tion and low-energy lighting, and uses just a

ects, including the renovation of the
Reichstag, Berlin, as well as the “blade of

quarter of the energy consumed by a typical
Greater London Authority (GLA).

air-conditioned London office building.

light” design at the Millennium Bridge, archi-

Designed using advanced computer-mod-

A positive addition to the capital's flour-

tect Foster and Partners was well-placed to

elling techniques, the building represents a

ishing landscape, City Hall has come to repre-

take on the challenge of creating something

radical rethink of architectural form. A

sent political, industrial and architectural

appropriate for the London cityscape. City

uniquely bulbous design amongst the more

progress. With an outlook over the Thames

Hall advances themes explored in the

lean, linear structures surrounding it, the

and just a stone's throw from the iconic,

Reichstag, expressing the transparency and

exterior of City Hall encases a helical stair-

Tower Bridge, the building is aligned with

accessibility of the democratic process and is

case that winds five hundred metres up to the

London's past and present and is alive with

thus specifically geared toward its tenant, the

top floor. Contemporary though its façade

the promise of the future. n

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