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In the seven months since our last update, progress at the site of The Scalpel has been moving along nicely. The Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates-designed, 39-storey office tower by W.R. Berkley Corporation has now reached more than three quarters of its final 192-metre height, and its distinctive angular form is cutting a distinctive silhouette high above the City of London.
Viewed above, the smooth glass exterior of The Scalpel will soon rise up the full height of the tower. Its reflective quality will help make this a standout structure on a skyline already full of standout structures, such as the Gherkin, as visible in the base of the tower.
The Scalpel's distinctive sharp angles and resultant tilts will allow for light to reach the street, a move which will benefit local landmarks such as St. Andrew Undershaft Church, as seen above, which will thankfully not be cast in perpetual darkness.
Rising alongside the avant garde Lloyd's Building, the smooth glass exterior of The Scalpel will contrast nicely against the heavy industrial look of its neighbour. In fact, thanks to its reflective exterior, one could argue that it may fit into the streetscape better than most modern highrises, since what remains of the historic streetscapes of London will lead a double life as they glimmer off the glass base of the tower.
Viewed from street level, The Scalpel has already become a neighbourhood fixture, the modern edifice today a part of London's increasingly eclectic urban fabric. Slated for completion by the end of 2017, The Scalpel will add 400,000 square feet of office space to the City of London financial district, and the base will terminate with an 11,000-square-foot public plaza that will serve the area well.
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
