Plenty of hype and controversy has recently been focussed around London’s newest landmark, The Shard, which was officially opened yesterday by a much-anticipated light show.
Renzo Piano, an Italian architect who masterminded such projects as Paris’s Pompidou Centre, designed the Shard in 2000. Heritage organisations and local authorities initially opposed the plans, however the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott ordered an inquiry into the planning and eventually the plans were approved.
“Mr Prescott would only approve skyscrapers of exceptional design. For a building of this size to be acceptable, the quality of its design is critical. He is satisfied that the proposed tower is of the highest architectural quality.” – An official statement from the Government.
The argument between development and heritage still continues to this day and many locals have opposing views of the Shard. The main argument for the development is the generation of employment the tower will bring to the Southwark area.
– In May 2012, the Shard’s developers pledged to offer 300 jobs in the tower and surrounding area for unemployed locals.
– There is 26 floors for offices, 3 floors for restaurants, a 18 floor hotel and a spa situated in the Shard that will bring demand for people to come to Southwark and spend money in the surrounding area.
– The tower will also bring more tourism to Southwark, where it contains a spire and observatory.
However, the tower opened with all of its office floors un-let and this has been the focus of criticism by the press. The Shard has made Southwark one of the most unbalanced property value areas in the world and this has angered heritage organisation and Southwark locals.
Renzo Piano considered the tower to be a positive addition to the London skyline – he considered the presence to be far more delicate than opponents of the project alleged. However Simon Jenkins from The Guardian pronounces that the “Thames is to become a ditch of cash running through a canyon of glass”.
“I suffer from having found London’s skyline a thing of beauty. The views from Parliament and Primrose hills, from the parks and from bridges over the Thames offered a vista that allowed the eye to spread, with no part dominating the whole. Even St Paul’s did not crush its neighbours but floated above them at just twice their height. The eye has no such freedom now. From across the London basin it must rest on the Shard.” Simon Jenkins.
Yesterday though, the tower was opened in a very bold fashion by hosting a laser show and lighting up the entire north side of the building.
The show generated more publicity and an impressive artists impression, caused hundreds of people to descend on the bridges and north bank beaches of the Thames. Unfortunately many Londoners feel disappointed by the light show, I personally expected a cross between a Happy Mondays gig mixed with a scene from Close Encounters. (97% of full-scale Alien invasions begin with a ‘laser show’ over a major landmark. Source: The Poke // http://bit.ly/M0hH8o).
The real result of the show saw what I could only describe as a giant lava-lamp impression – and I had a good view. Many Shard spectators were viewing from the hills of South London and friends I spoke to in Brockley and Peckham were unaware that only the north side of the Shard would be host to the majority of the light.
What’s your view on the Shard? Is it an eyesore on London’s skyline? Is it a good opportunity for south London? Is it a tower built to holster power and arrogance? Was the light show any good?