London remains a hotspot for tall-building construction.

Eastern London to Have 13 New Towers by 2026

The City of London has released a series of computer-generated images that show what the city’s eastern cluster of towers will look like eight years from now, bdonline reports. In a year-end look at building activity, the city noted that 13 towers are either under construction or have received approval to move forward within the eastern section, also known as the “Square Mile.” The tallest will be the 73-story 1 Undershaft, which has been approved but is awaiting a finalized agreement before construction can begin. The next tallest will be 22 Bishopsgate, which, though standing 62 stories, will be only 10 m shorter than 1 Undershaft. Six of the buildings will offer public viewing platforms. The Square Mile is to account for about 60% of the city’s growth over the next decade.

Buildings under construction in the Square Mile, with height:

• 22 Bishopsgate, 294.94 m (62 stories)
• 52 Lime Street (the Scalpel), 206 m (36 stories)
• 100 Bishopsgate, 181 m (37 stories)
• 6-8 Bishopsgate/150 Leadenhall Street, 185 m (50 stories)
• 70 St Mary Axe, 164.3 m (21 stories)
• 150 Bishopsgate, 150.92 m (41 stories)
• 120 Fenchurch Street, 85 m (15 stories)
• 80 Fenchurch Street, 78 m (14 stories)

Buildings that have been approved but yet to undergo construction are:

• 1 Undershaft, 304.6 m (73 stories)
• 2-3 Finsbury Avenue (Broadgate), 168.4 m (32 stories)
• 40 Leadenhall Street, 170 m (34 stories)
• 130 Fenchurch Street, 105 m (17 stories)
• 1 Leadenhall Street, 182.7 m (36 stories)

KONE Wins Order for London Residential High Rise

KONE will supply South Quay Plaza, a residential high rise planned for London’s Isle of Dogs, with UltraRope®-equipped elevators, the first use of the lightweight elevator rope in Europe, the company announced in January. South Quay Plaza will be the first of three towers in a development overlooking the Canary Wharf financial district. With its height of 220 m, the 68-story tower will be one of the tallest residential buildings in Europe. The development will provide 1,200 homes, 2.6 acres of landscaped gardens and retail, restaurant and café space. KONE will deliver six MiniSpace™ and two MonoSpace® 700 elevators, and a KONE Destination Control System. South Quay Plaza, scheduled for completion in 2022, is being developed by Berkeley Homes and was designed by architectural firm Foster + Partners.

New Tallest Residental Tower for Birmingham

Battersea Project Phase 2 Development Co. Ltd. has selected Alimak Group’s CoxGomyl building maintenance units (BMU) for the second phase of redeveloping the decommissioned power station, which will be home to Apple’s new London campus on the south bank of the Thames River. Worth approximately US$2.6 million, the contract includes several short-reach, roof-mounted BMUs, as well as gantry and monorail systems, support and maintenance. Following successful installation of CoxGomyl BMUs for phase 1, Alimak will install and supply the equipment from the end of this year through early 2020. In addition to Apple, the project includes 253 residences and a 6-acre park.

ZHA Defends Two-Tower Plan

Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) plan for a two-tower, mixed-use scheme in Vauxhall, London, has been met with criticism since its proposal in December 2017. Calling the buildings “too big” and “investment opportunities for those based overseas,” critics also knock the plan for being too dense, too expensive and overshadowing, The Architects’ Journal reported.

The two towers of 53 stories (185 m tall) and 42 stories (151 m tall) would be joined with a connecting podium of 10 or 11 stories. The development would include a 618-room hotel, 257 apartments, 20,000 m2 of office space, shops at ground level and a new public square. ZHA Director Jim Heverin explained the company’s project “fits within a masterplan that has been looked at by Transport for London,” continuing, “In terms of overshadowing, our proposal does not create any more than what is already permitted from existing schemes in the area.”