Height - 192m / 630ft
Floors - 39
Cost - £500million
Space - 414,900 Sqft / 38,545 Sqm
Use - Commercial
Architects - Kohn Pederson Fox
Developer - WRBC Development UK Ltd
Website - http://thescalpelec3.co.uk/
Expected Completion - Late 2017
The Scalpel is part of the latest wave of office towers to be constructed in the The City district based in the heart of London. WR Berkley are to occupy this self-developed building by their sister company WRBC. The skyscraper is to neighbour The Willis Tower and the Lloyds building whilst contrasting greatly against the medieval St Katharine Cree church across the road, forming an interesting juxtaposition from both the streetscape and the air.
52 Lime Street derived its name, The Scalpel, from public discussions and comments based upon the designs sharp, tapered appearance. The use of nicknames has been a recent trend for Londons icons such as The Gherkin, The Cheesegrater as well as The Shard, with WRBC taking this idea to officially mark the building as the now known Scalpel.
KPFs design language can be visible from New Yorks 10 and 30 HY towers with the pearl white pilasters and grid-vented tapered roof, whilst the angular traits can also be viewed in One Vanderbilt also as well as the Hudson Yards signature crystals, scattering light onto their surroundings.
With restricted sight-lines of St Pauls Cathedral, which sits to the west, comes the tapered design which mirrors that of 122 Leadenhalls forming a V shape on the skyline; opening a gateway view of the historic and ultra-modern architectural pieces of London. The restricted views may soon be abolished upon further proposals however, as a prominent gap in the skyline is starting to form, creating an unbalanced and unappealing viewing perspective from multiple angles.
Enhancing Londons skyline with elegance, The Scalpel may very well be one of the last eccentrically sculptured towers to rise into the skies above the city before the upcoming boxy and conservative towers make way to iron out the controversial mishmash of the skyline. With sleek lines and sharp edges, this will add to the landmark tower zone of London, ranging from the rustic Lloyds building, to the sloped Cheesegrater, to the curvaceous set-backed Willis Tower. 52 Lime Street will be the icing on the cake, transitioning the cityscape from the River Thames below to the towers which are to rise to a pinnacle to the north. A major piece of the puzzle this indeed will fill.
#Exterior Renders
St Katharine Cree church to the bottom left, The Willis Tower to the rear and The Lloyds Building to the right:
The podium, displaying the clever use of angles which give off the illusion of a curved facade at street level when viewed at a glance:
#Interior Renders
The lobby:
Future office view out over towards The Gherkin, facing north:
#Massing Diagrams
This massing diagram at first glance is almost identical to that of 10 Hudson Yards:
#View Points
Daytime view of the skyline facing west, displaying the V shape formed between The Leadenhall towers opening up the view over to St Pauls Cathedral:
Nightime skyline shot, 22 Bishopsgates design has since changed once again:
#Construction Photo Update
Photo taken by me of the current progress:
