First came the Gherkin, and then the cheesegrater. Soon, the "can of ham," or the giant “tin of potted swine,” as CityLab puts it, will join the gastronomy-meets-architecture clump of skyscrapers in London’s business district.
Designed by Foggo Associates, the building was originally approved back in 2010, but the financial crisis rendered the project dormant. Only recently did the project show new signs of life, when construction company Mace announced that it had been appointed to a pre-constructional deal to build “the much delayed ‘can of ham’ on 60-70 St. Mary Axe.”
According to CityLab, the development, reportedly more than $150 million, will include 24 stories of offices and retail space.
The reasoning behind this arch shape is for the tower to respect existing views through the city of London, Dezeen reports. The vertical shading fins will wrap around the curved outer walls, and the glazed end elevations will reduce solar gain.
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