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Known worldwide for its historic buildings and charm, London is an important global city economically, culturally and socially. Like many large urban centres, London is characterized by a dense built form which makes space for new developments hard to come by. In London's central financial core, widely known simply as the City, modern highrises have typically dominated the streetscape. One of the newest skyscrapers to grace the neighbourhood is the Leadenhall Building, the subject of this week's Throwback Thursday.
To make way for the new tower, the 14-storey office building formerly located at 122 Leadenhall Street was demolished. Built in 1969, the careful dismantling of the tower is seen in the above Google Street View image captured in July 2008.
Acclaimed architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners designed the skyscraping 52-storey tower that now occupies the site. At 224 metres, it is the third tallest building in London by roof height. Its wedge-shaped massing draws playful comparisons to a common kitchen utensil, thus earning the nickname 'The Cheesegrater'. Its opening in 2014 signalled that London's central core, though packed tightly, can still accommodate new development.
We will be back next week for another look at the past. In the meantime, you can check out the Database file for the building linked below and leave a comment in the associated Forum thread or the field provided at the bottom of this page.
