On February 1st, London officially opened The Shard.
Nearly 4 years in the making, the massive 95-storey, 1,016 foot tower pierces the sky over London proper like a glittering shard of glass (hence the name). Designed by renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano who made his mark in Paris with the famous “inside-out” Centre Georges Pompidou, the tower is the tallest building in the EU and the 2nd tallest in Europe.
(Image courtesy of The Shard)
(Image courtesy of The Shard)
The building cost a bundle to build and is meant to represent the highest quality of architecture but many Londoners feel that the design is too modern and that it clashes with the historic architecture of the city. Gustav Eiffel received a similar backlash when he built the Eiffel Tower back in 1889 and now it’s one of Paris’ most treasured landmarks. Something to consider.
The tower will house a number of offices, residences, high-end restaurants and the Shangri-La Hotel but most will come for the viewing floor which has, well… the best view in London!
For more on The Shard, visit: the-shard.com
