A "supertall" skyscraper project on the southern bank of the Thames, The Shard, AKA London Bridge Tower, has topped out at 1,016 feet just in time for the opening of the London Summer Olympics. It has 72 habitable floors and is currently the tallest building in Europe, although Moscow has three projects in the works that will surpass it, if completed.
The tower features retail space, restaurants, offices, a hotel, private residences, and four floors of observation deck. The website is really well done, and I recommend a gander at the 360 panorama of London town (though the resolution is disappointing).
Designed by Renzo Piano--who is Italian, in case there was some confusion--The Shard is a really striking addition to London's generally underwhelming skyline (not due to a lack of interest in blowing up the skyline, simply because the London council want to preserve the old and blah blah blah).
I've been watching this one go up for years, and I'm really pleased to see it come to fruition. While detractors may claim that its 1984 monolithic aesthetic is a bit cold, I really enjoy the contrast with the rest of London; a modern obelisk in a historic city.
On the down side, there's...this video. What the hell am I looking at here? Is this another Tron remake? Am I supposed to be awed? Inspired? Terrified? Because I'm none of those things. Just disappointed.
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