1 Undershaft: Plans for City's tallest skyscraper revealed
A planned skyscraper that could become London's second tallest building will dwarf the neighbouring Gherkin and almost match the Shard in height, according to its developer.
The 73-storey building, dubbed The Trellis, has been named 1 Undershaft and will be 309.6 metres tall - exactly the same height as The Shard and the maximum allowed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
However, its pavement to peak height will be around 7 metres less because the Shard sits on slightly lower lying land.
Sitting between the Gherkin and Leadenhall Street’s Cheesegrater, it will be the tallest in the City financial area and will join a raft of a new skyscrapers planned for the capital, including an as-yet unnamed tower at Canary Wharf and the Morello Tower in Croydon.
At its summit will be a free public viewing gallery, which will be higher than the same area in the Shard, as well as an education centre for school trips and a restaurant. At its base will be a large public square.
The tower has been commissioned by Singapore-based Aroland Holdings and designed by London’s Eric Parry Architects, which also created the headquarters of the London Stock Exchange in Paternoster Square.
Parry said the public elements of the building will mean it is in use seven days a week.
He added: "1 Undershaft will create more of the quality office space that is desperately needed in the capital and will reconnect the city’s tall building cluster with the public."
"This building will set new standards for the City in terms of comfort, quality, environmental sustainability and putting the public at the heart of the tower."
It would trump the recently resurrected development at the former Pinnacle site at 22 Bishopsgate in terms of height.
That building, which cleared a planning hurdle last month, will have 61 floors and will rise to roughly 280 metres.
Plans for 1 Undershaft have been in the offing since July.
They will have to be submitted to the City of London Corporation for approval.
