How The Shard Inspires Me

This is my last, but definitely not least, post for this magnificent building that I have grown to love through out the short time I have had to research and read about it. So far, this building has made a significant impact on me. This building has inspired me in so many ways.

First of all, this building is a reflection of how modern life overtakes all of us, swallows us up in its beauty. Many people believe that modernisation is not a sufficient concept for us to live by, and that the preservation of conservatism is more of value, as it serves as a reminder of our traditional values. However, this building called The Shard has inspired me to believe in change and convinced me that change is what makes people, architectures, businessmen and women, and designers- to pursue their dreams of building something uniquely different than everything else.

Also The Shard has made me think about reaching for the stars. This is a metaphor to describe how even the tallest dreams we have are achievable if we put our minds to it.

How The Shard reflects the city of London, the weather and the sky is a symbol of how The Shard magnifies the beauty of its surrounding. This has inspired me to reevaluate my values as a person and to always omit positive vibes in order to influence the surroundings that I am in.

Impact

According to bbc.news.com, in December 2011, a group of recreational trespassers calling themselves the Place Hackers evaded security and made their way to the top of the Shard building site, climbing one of the tallest cranes in the process (2012). They later posted photographs of the London skyline taken from the top of the Shard on the Internet and received wide media attention. One member of the group, Oxford University researcher Bradley Garrett, later revealed to various news outlets that over 20 urban explorers had made their way to the top of the building during its construction (2012). In a 2012 article for Domus magazine, Garrett wrote that "the conceptual barrier to places in our cities is brought about by a process of engineered exclusion" and that the explorers were "cultivating the creative city that money can't buy".

On 3 September 2012, a team of 40 people, including Prince Andrew, Duke of York, abseiled from the tower's 87th floor. This feat was performed to raise money for the Outward Bound Trust and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund (2012). In November 2012, the French urban climber Alain Robert was spotted in the building by security guards. At the end of the month, the Shard's owners won an injunction to prevent him from entering or climbing the building (O'Brien, 2012).

On 11 July 2013, six female Greenpeace volunteers climbed the Shard and unfurled a flag in protest against Arctic oil drilling by Royal Dutch Shell. The women announced they were "experienced climbers", but medical personnel were summoned to the base of the tower nonetheless.[91] The Shard's staff closed the tower's observatory and gave the women a safety briefing and other advice during their climb. After completing their 16-hour climb, the six women were arrested by police on suspicion of aggravated trespass (O'Brien, 2012).

In popular culture, The Shard appeared in the 2012 short film The Snowman and The Snowdog and its tie-in computer game (Tyler, 2012). Furthermore, The Shard has a significant role in the 2013 Doctor Who episode "The Bells of Saint John", as it is the headquarters of the episode's antagonist, the Great Intelligence. The Doctor vertically rode a motorbike on the face of the building and through a window to reach the Great Intelligence's headquarters (Foster, 2013).

Reference:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-17656669

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/apr/09/shard-hacking-group-sneak-building

http://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/2012/07/09/scaling-the-shard.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-19461892

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/forget-the-green-goblin-shard-to-stop-french-spiderman-alain-robert-with-an-injunction-8372254.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-23266281

http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2013/03/bellsofstjohn-010313000008.html

http://www.theartsdesk.com/tv/snowman-and-snowdog-channel-4

An Afternoon Tea Experience

The View from The Shard has quickly established itself as London’s must-visit attraction. From 800ft above you can see London in an entirely new light as you gaze out for up to 40 miles in every direction.You can take your traditional afternoon tea in the stunning GONG Bar on the 52nd floor. Designer Andre Fu’s immersive ancient China inspired interior endows the bar with a sense of mysticism.

Besides that, you can also enjoy an Afternoon Tea for Two at the Hilton London Green Park.

Back on ground level, there is a cafe called Browns Butlers Wharf where you can enjoy a spot of afternoon tea for two. Enjoy a spread of finger sandwiches with delicious fillings such as smoked salmon and egg and cress as well as scones with clotted cream and jam. Tuck into delicate mini desserts such as a lemon tart, salted caramel profiteroles and a white chocolate pot. They say it is the perfect end to a great afternoon.

But the most delicate and lovely setting is probably Aqua Shard, located on Level 31 of The Shard. It offers a contemporary British Afternoon Tea with breath-taking views of the London skyline. The contemporary cosmopolitan interior has distinctly British touches; gin and tea, both with strong roots in South London, have inspired the design along with Liberty fabrics which appear in subtle touches throughout the restaurant, complementing the dark oak floor. The Classic Afternoon Tea begins with a selection of finger sandwiches, freshly baked vanilla, raisin and orange blossom scones which are served with Jersey clotted cream and home-made fragrant homemade jams.  This selection of seasonally changing jams and jellies combines some exciting flavour combinations, all of which lift the traditional favourite British jam flavours with new herb or essence popular in British cuisine. These include strawberry and Tahitian vanilla; apple, lime and earl grey jelly & raspberry and raspberry & lemon thyme. To finish, homemade cakes and sweet treats combine both traditional and innovative British delights. You can see from the picture enclosed below:

Reference:

https://www.virginexperiencedays.co.uk/the-view-from-the-shard-and-afternoon-tea-at-the-5-luxury-shangri-la-hotel-at-the-shard-for-two

http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/uk/london/south-bank/aqua-shard/#

https://www.redletterdays.co.uk/experience/ref/hossq/the-view-from-the-shard-and-afternoon-tea-for-two

Renzo Piano

Renzo Piano, the architect of The Shard, is an Italian architect and engineer. He was born in Genoa, Italy, into a family of builders. His grandfather had created a masonry enterprise, which had been expanded by his father, Carlo Piano and his father's three brothers, into the firm Fratelli Piano. The firm prospered after World War II, constructing houses and factories and selling construction materials.

In 1971 the thirty-four year old Piano and Richard Rogers, thirty-eight, in collaboration with the Italian architect Gianfranco Franchini, competed with the major architectural firms in the United States and Europe, and were awarded the commission for the most prestigious project in Paris, the Centre Georges Pompidou, the new French national museum of 20th century art. The award came a surprise, to the architectural world, since the two were little-known, and had no experience with museums or other major structures. The New York Times declared that their design "turned the architecture world upside down" (Pogrebin, 2007). In 1977 Piano ended his collaboration with Rogers and began a new collaboration with engineer Peter Rice, who had assisted in the design of the Pompidou Center.

In 1998, Piano won the Pritzker Prize, often considered the Nobel Prize of architecture (Goldberger, 1988). The jury citation compared Piano to Michelangelo and da Vinci and credited him with "redefining modern and postmodern architecture." In 2006, Piano was selected by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world (Rogers, 2006). He was chosen as the 10th most influential person in the "Arts and Entertainment" category.
Reference:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/arts/design/28cnd-pritzker.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/29/arts/architecture-view-what-pritzker-winners-tell-us-about-the-prize.html

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1975813_1975838_1976210,00.html

Secrets about The Shard

1. The concept of a ‘vertical city’ led to the imagining of the Shard. Rather than just wanting to create a building which was the tallest in Europe, the developers envisaged a space that had a variety of spaces within: of the accessible floors, 27 are used for offices, 3 for restaurants (that’s 3 floors devoted entirely to restaurants!), 18 floors are part of the five-star Shangri-La hotel, and 13 are used for residences. Then there are 2 service floors, with 5 floors used for observation. The final 23 floors are taken up by the spire. The variety of occupants mean it is possible to live, work and socialise in the same building.

2. The Shard was initially designed on a restaurant menu. Renzo Piano, the architect responsible for envisioning the Shard, has also created other stunning feats of architecture such as the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Potsdamer Platz in Berlin and the New York Times Building, surprisingly in New York City. When meeting with The Sellar Group to discuss the potential project, Piano sketched out rough designs on the back of the restaurant menu. It’s possible that these designs weren’t the ones used as architectural blueprints.

3. The Shard incorporates some of the most advanced architectural technology into its revolutionary design. Specialist building design and analysis software was used to create a safe and stable frame, which allows the Shard to move up to 20 inches in high winds. This is despite having a thick concrete core which houses emergency escape routes and firefighter lift shafts. Steel tendons, kept taut with large hydraulic jacks, stabilise the higher levels.

4. The design of the building is environmentally-friendly: a staggering 95% of construction materials used were recycled. The Shard’s energy efficiency is boosted thanks to triple-glazed glass, with a layer of sun shielding glass sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets.

5. The blind control system automatically adjusts itself throughout the day, ensuring shade is only used when and where necessary. The panes in the outer layer of glass contain low levels of iron, creating a highly reflective surface that limits heat build-up, and adds a shine to the building. These external panes do not meet, which create constant airflow that naturally regulates the Shard’s internal temperature.

6. There have already been some more unusual visitors to the Shard: there have been at least four instances where BASE jumpers have bypassed security, and in February 2011, Romeo the fox was discovered on the 72nd floor of the Shard. He was surviving on food scraps left by construction workers, as apparently he couldn’t reach the buttons in the lift to get back down.

7. Cleaning of the Shard will be done manually – scary enough considering there are 11,000 panes of glass. But spare a thought for the window cleaner who was left dangling outside the 72nd floor (what is it about that floor?) after his cradle developed a fault in high winds, just a few days before the official opening.

8. Finally, one of the most important, yet overlooked, aspects of the Shard: how do you flush a toilet that is 1,000 feet up? The pressure needed to force water that high would be around 25 Bars: normal high-rise buildings require about 16 Bars (the industry maximum). The Shard houses a series of pumps and tanks which allow the water to be pumped up in stages – pump rooms are on the 21st, 51s and 68th floors, allowing the water pressure to be reset, and eliminating the risk of high-pressure water damaging pipework.

9. The average lift speed is 6 metres per second. Though the lifts are very smooth and entertain passengers with video ceiling panels, bring some chewing gum in case your ears pop!

Reference:

http://www.business2community.com/travel-leisure/8-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-shard-0225181#Bf0LipPPgoxZx0TK.97

https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/articles/10-facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-shard/

Business Deals

The Shard has acquired more than a number of business deals through out it's time standing tall in London. One of them includes luxury retailer Matchesfashion.com. They have revealed it is to double the size of its London headquarters with a new home at the Shard as it pursues international expansion (Bourke, 2016). They are situated at the 7, 8 and 11th floor of The Strand.

Besides that, Khazanah National Berhad, the strategic investment fund, from our very own country, Malaysia, is also based at The Shard, at the 22nd floor of the building.

Also, the global media giant, Al Jazeera Media Network running its European news gathering, current affairs and live evening outputs including News Hour and The Listening Post is situated at level 16. 

Reference:

http://www.the-shard.com/offices/companies/

What's In A Name

The Shard is made up of 11,000 glass panels on the exterior. The building is named as it is modelled on a shard of glass, and its 11,000 panels have a total area of 56,000 square metres.

Eight sloping glass facades, the "shards", define the shape and visual quality of the tower, fragmenting the scale of the building and reflecting the light in unpredictable ways. Open vents in the gaps or “fractures” between the shards, provide natural ventilation to winter gardens.

According to The Shard's official website, fundamental to Piano’s vision of the building was the idea of lightness and transparency. For all its height, The Shard would be an elegant spire in contrast to the bulky high-rises of the past. Realizing this idea meant using glass in a highly innovative way. Piano’s sophisticated use of extra white glass, with these expressive facades gives the tower a lightness and a sensitivity to the changing sky around it, The Shard’s colour and mood are constantly changing according to the weather and seasons (n.d.)

Reference:

http://www.the-shard.com/shard/the-vision/

Why I like The Shard

As a rule, I'm not someone who likes tall buildings much, but the scale and architecture of The Shard overwhelms me against my better instincts. From the pictures I have seen from the internet, The Shard seems to have a certain energy to it, which adds to the vibrant scene of London city.

Tall buildings express confidence. Uniquely-designed tall buildings, like the Shard, may come off as arrogant in building form. However, real architectural statements like The Shard, also drive development. Some people claim that The Shard is "off-limits", a building built exclusively for the privileged and rich, an investment made from capitalistic dominance (Chakrabortty, 2012). The claim that the Shard is ‘off-limits’ is so wrong. Apart from the stunning views available when you buy the tickets, from the public viewing-decks on top, the very existence of the building itself is a joy.

The Shard embodies the idea that we could reach for the stars. Whether you like the look of it or not is only a matter of personal taste. It is certainly a sight more interesting than the smaller, more boring square tower block it replaced.

Reference:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/25/shard-metaphor-for-modern-london

The Beautiful View

The Shard has the most astounding view from its building. When one goes into The Shard, one can see the magnificent view of the City of London, as The Shard overlooks everything that people expect to see of London and its beauty. Situated at the top of Western Europe's tallest building, The View from The Shard is a premium visitor attraction with spectacular panoramic views of the city stretching for up to 40 miles.

We can get this experience by buying the tickets offered, which comes in a wide variety of choices! This includes Champagne Experience, for those wanting to enjoy the view while enjoying a drink. Besides that, there is the Day and Night Experience, the Private Guided Tour, and the Family Experience.

The weather in London is often unpredictable and can change from one moment to the next. Watch clouds rolling in or witness a rainbow – London’s ever changing weather will mean that every visit is unique. In case of bad weather we offer all guests our London Landmarks Guarantee with every ticket - you’ll be walking on air amongst the clouds, but if they spoil your view, you can return at no cost.

References

https://www.theviewfromtheshard.com/

Functionality

The Shard was conceived as a building with multiple uses: a vertical city where people could live, work and relax. It comprises world-class offices, award-wining restaurants, the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel, exclusive residences and the UK’s highest viewing gallery, The View from The Shard, offering 360-degree views. Well-connected and comprehensively serviced by central London's transport infrastructure, facilities and amenities. This is why The Shard is constantly glorified, as it shifts along with the trend of time, following the modern era of a glamorous lifestyle, that focuses it's prestige with the materialistic consumption of what it has to offer.

The developer and joint owner of The Shard even said it himself, he is immensely proud that throughout the challenges, they remained true to the original vision of creating a vertical city with multiple and different occupiers.

The Shard is a timeless reminder of the power of imagination to inspire change. Today, The Shard stands tall and proud as a living, dynamic building full of energy and is considered a beacon for modern London.

Architecture, The Best Aspect of The Shard

Renzo Piano, the project's architect, designed the Shard as a spire-like sculpture emerging from the River Thames. He was inspired by the railway lines next to the site, the London spires depicted by the 18th-century Venetian painter Canaletto, and the masts of sailing ships. The design itself is beautiful and incredibly unique, as depicted in the picture below of the London spires.

Piano's design received criticism from English Heritage, who claimed the building would be "a shard of glass through the heart of historic London", giving the building its name, the Shard. Piano considered the slender, spire-like form of the tower a positive addition to the London skyline, recalling the church steeples featured in historic engravings of the city, and believed that its presence would be far more delicate than opponents of the project alleged. He proposed a sophisticated use of glazing, with facades of angled glass panes intended to reflect sunlight and the sky above, so that the appearance of the building will change according to the weather and seasons. This is why if one views The Shard, one sees reflection of the atmosphere around them, and not only city lights, but the luminescent view of the sky,

The building has 11,000 panes of glass, with a total surface area of 56,000 square metres.

Not only is The Shard beautiful to behold, but The Shard was also designed with energy efficiency in mind. It is fitted with a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, operating on natural gas from the National Grid. Fuel is efficiently converted to electricity and heat is recovered from the engine to provide hot water for the building. This portrays the functionality of The Shard

Following the destruction of New York's World Trade Center (WTC) in the terror attacks of 11 September 2001, architects and structural engineers worldwide began re-evaluating the design of tall structures. The Shard's early concept designs were among the first in the UK to be changed. According to Engine and Technology, The building is designed to maintain its stability under very onerous conditions, with its post-tensioned concrete and composite floors, load-bearing pillars and tapering shape giving it a sway tolerance of 400 millimetres (n.d.).

Reference

https://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2011/09/vertical-city.cfm

MONEY TIME

In late 2007, the gathering uncertainty in the global financial markets sparked concerns about the viability of the Shard. However, in January 2008, Sellar announced that it had secured funding from a group of Qatari investors, who had paid £150 million to secure an 80% stake in the project. The consortium included Qatar National Bank, QInvest, Qatari Islamic Bank and the Qatari property developer Barwa Real Estate, as well as Sellar Property. The new owners promised to provide the first portion of finance, allowing construction of the tower to begin. In 2009, the State of Qatar consolidated its ownership of London Bridge Quarter, including the Shard, through the purchase of the private Qatari investors' stakes. Today, London Bridge Quarter is jointly owned by the State of Qatar and Sellar Property.

How It All Started

Formerly standing on that spot was Southwark Towers, but London-based entrepreneur Irvine Sellar decided to redevelop this building to build tall buildings. First off, let's divulge a little bit about Southwark Towers, the building that first stood in the spot of The Shard, as it is always important to be aware of the history of the things we love.

Southwark Towers was a high rise building at 32 London Bridge Street, designed by TP Bennett architects, overlooking London Bridge station, in Southwark, London. When it was demolished in 2008 it was the tallest building ever to have been demolished in the UK.

In 1998, London-based entrepreneur Irvine Sellar and his then-partners decided to redevelop the 1970s-era Southwark Towers following a UK government white paper encouraging the development of tall buildings at major transport hubs. Sellar flew to Berlin in the spring of 2000 to meet the Italian architect Renzo Piano for lunch. According to Sellar, Piano spoke of his contempt for conventional tall buildings during the meal, before flipping over the restaurant's menu and sketching a spire-like sculpture emerging from the River Thames.

In September 2007, preparations for the demolition of Southwark Towers began (Lane, 2007). However, later that same month, turbulence in the financial markets reportedly put the Shard's construction in jeopardy, threatening to render the project an example of the Skyscraper Index.

Reference:

http://www.building.co.uk/%E2%80%98imagine-that-you-are-on-level-80-and-you-want-a-sandwich-how-long-will-that-take-you?%E2%80%99/3094541.article

Introduction About The Shard

The Shard stands magnificent as a skyscraper building in Southpark, London, formerly known as the London Bridge Tower. The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom and the fourth tallest in Europe, according to www.infoplease.com (n.d.). In all it's glory, it is a beautiful sight to behold, for both foreigners and local. Look at The Shard's beauty in the picture below!

Especially at night, The Shard shows off it's dazzling lights to behold, and the way the building is structured, it gives off an illusion that is similar to one of a mirror, as can be seen in the picture. People looking at The Shard would see a reflection of the city lights coming from all angles. The architecture of The Shard is also a concept in which we rarely see of buildings, but I will talk more about that later. To have been involved in the building of this great skyscraper, one can only imagine the thrill.