City of London’s Skyscraper Appetite Remains “Fierce”

A growing amount of empty office space and a push toward carbon neutrality have thus far failed to quell the City of London’s “fierce” appetite for tall-building construction, with six skyscrapers taller than 145 m greenlit in the past few years, Architects’ Journal reports. Three such towers were approved in the first few months of 2021, joining a previously approved trio that includes two taller than 250 m. Despite a “new normal” that includes working from home, skyscraper developers are bullish on the downtown London office market, with Patrick Wong, CEO at Hong Kong-based Tenacity, observing that building the “right building at the right time” is key. Tenacity is building the 50-story 8 Bishopsgate, which, like its neighbor 22 Bishopsgate, will have more than 10% of its floorspace dedicated to amenities. Beyond the standards like cafés and event areas, they include “outdoor terraces and even a climbing wall.” To address the energy demand associated with vertical transportation systems, 8 Bishopsgate will implement double-decker lifts.