The Shard – London Bridge Tower

The tower’s eight sloping glass facades, or “shards,” define its distinctive shape and visual impact. These facets break up the building’s mass and reflect light in dynamic, ever-changing ways. The gaps, or “fractures,” between the shards house opening vents that provide natural ventilation to winter gardens, blending form and function seamlessly. Together, these elements create a visually striking structure that enhances its urban setting.

The extra-white glass of the Shard imparts a sense of lightness, adapting to the changing sky and constantly shifting in color and mood. To optimize performance in controlling light and heat, a double-skin, naturally ventilated façade was designed, incorporating internal blinds that automatically adjust to varying light levels. The solution is simple yet effective: while external blinds are ideal for blocking solar gain, they are unsuitable for tall buildings, so an additional glass layer was added to protect the blinds and maintain efficiency.

In addition to the tower, the project involved the redevelopment of the London Bridge Station concourse and bus station. The existing roof was removed and replaced with a glazed canopy, while retail units were relocated to improve visual connections between the train station, bus station, and taxi ranks. Two new 30m x 30m public squares now sit at the heart of the scheme, enhancing the area’s accessibility and public space.

Further expanding the vision, we designed two adjacent buildings: the News Building, completed in [year], and Shard Place, a residential development. These projects have strengthened the coherence of the urban realm and reinforced the mix of uses crucial for creating dynamic, vibrant city centers.