Overview
The Gherkin opened in 2004. It has 41 floors and is made from glass and steel. Originally called the Swiss Re building, the buildings name was changed to its street address, 30 St. Mary Axe but is nicknamed the Gherkin for its distinctive shape. It is located in the business district in the middle of London. For more brief information on the Gherkin visit this website. (Gherkin, London (n.d.))
the gherkin | swiss re tower in the city of london. uk | londra. PaoloMargari. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 |
This video shows an overview of the building and the cool features the Gherkin possess.
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ArchitectThe architectural firm that built The Gherkin is Foster + Partners. The two architects who spearheaded the project are Norman Foster and Ken Shuttleworth. Foster + Partners has been around since 1967 and has earned 620 awards and 100 national and international competitions. Foster + Partners is also famous for its work on the Millennium Bridge in London, London's city hall, Winspear Opera House in Dallas, and the Elephant House in Denmark along with many other unique designs and buildings. (30 St Mary Axe (n.d.))
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Structural DetailsThe Gherkin has 41 floors and is made from glass. It is very eco friendly, it's panels adjust to the weather making a more comfortable environment for the people working. Due to how the building is structured, it reduces wind which makes a comfortable ground environment and a system of natural ventilation. The many glass panels allows the Gherkin to be lit by natural light and very blended with its surroundings. In the middle of the building, there are rooms that spiral up and are used for meeting points and refreshing oneself. At the very top, there is a room that offers a 360 view of the city. The Gherkin is also very sustainable, because of its shape it only uses half of the air conditioning as another building of its size would use. The Gherkin is very unique in its shape and how it functions, visit Foster + Partners to get a more detailed view on the Gherkin. (30 St Mary Axe (n.d.))
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HistoryIn 1992, an explosion occurred in the financial district of London. This caused the birth of the Gherkin. The original design was supposed to be two times it size but there was concern about interrupting air traffic. The architects then redesigned and the Gherkin was built. Construction officially began in 2001 and ended in 2003 but the beautiful building was not open to the public until a year and a half later. (30 St Mary Axe: The Gherkin (n.d.))
UsesThe Gherkin was built for the Swiss Re company. It is located in the financial district so the building is used for offices and headquarters for companies. There have been tv shows and radio shows filmed inside the Gherkin and near it. (30 St Mary Axe: The Gherkin (n.d.))
Fun facts
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Sources
- Gherkin, London (n.d.). In a view on cities. ://www.aviewoncities.com/london/gherkin.htm
- 30 St Mary Axe (n.d.). In Fosters + Partner . ://www.fosterandpartners.com
- 30 St Mary Axe: The Gherkin (n.d.). In Design Book Magazine .://www.designbookmag.com/thegerkin.htm
- White, A. (2014, November 11). 13 things you didn't know about the Gherkin. In The Telegraph ://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/11222188/13-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-Gherkin.html
- 30 St Mary Axe (n.d.). In The Skyscraper Center. http://skyscrapercenter.com/building/30-st-mary-axe/2369