Introduction
52 Lime Street, or "The Scalpel" is a striking 190-meter office tower in the historic heart of the City of London. Conceived as a sympathetic addition to the London skyline, it was designed with particular regard to views of London's iconic St Paul's Cathedral.
Reason to Be Selected
The Scalpel leans away from St Paul's, as does the neighboring Leadenhall Building. Together, the paired but mirrored gestures make for a theatrical urban conversation that has set a precedent for responding to the City's protected views.
Highlights:
The simple geometric form is reinforced by the partially-reflective glass and bright metallic fold lines, the reflective facade acting as a foil to neighboring buildings and protected landmarks.Details
Interior spaces, such as the double-height entrance lobby, lift lobbies, lift interiors, and washrooms, feature timeless modern design and detailing, using a palette of high-quality natural materials.
Recommended
The sculptural limestone staircase was developed in close collaboration with a stonemason, and a Barrisol ceiling, to the triple-height atrium above the escalators, emulates natural daylight.
Clean contemporary design has been integrated with a state-of-the-art building management system to create a highly-efficient office. An offset core allows the building to step back, creating large open-plan floor plates, and twin lifts running in the same shaft enable swift movement throughout the building. The building has achieved energy-efficient specification and renewables. Provision for a restaurant at the basement level, plus retail and cafe uses on the ground floor, will activate the public realm.
Conclusions
At street level, The Scalpel has enabled improvements to pedestrian movement, creating a new public plaza. A sculpture by Joel Perlman has been installed in the plaza, and the facade incorporates four historic stone relief panels, produced by the artist James Woodford in the 1950s.
FULL STORY:
| Lat: | 51.3 |
| Lng: | 0.2 |
| Type: | |
| Region: | Europe |
| Scale: | District |
| Field: | Compositive |
| City: | London (greater city) |