Rogers Stirk Harbour new studio inside Leadenhall Building 4 comments Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has revealed its new home inside the so-called Cheesegrater tower , featuring brightly coloured furnishings, exposed steelwork and a big central meeting space (+ slideshow). Intended to foster a more collaborative working style, the London studio brings together the studio's 200 staff on one floor of the Leadenhall Building , completed by the Richard Rogers-led firm at the end of 2014 . Photograph by Paul Raftery The layout is left as open as possible, eschewing individual offices in favour of a plan where everyone sits together. This allows plenty of daylight to pass through the space, but also promotes the "democratic philosophy" of the firm . "We have worked hard to preserve the practice's ethos," said Richard Rogers, who runs the firm with 12 other partners. "Our new studio embodies the teamwork, flexibility and sustainable working practices that characterise our architecture." Photograph by Paul Raftery For over 30 years, the architects were based in a riverside building at Thames Wharf, west London, with the River Cafe restaurant founded by Richard Rogers' wife Ruth acting as a de facto staff canteen.

But they were forced to move when the lease expired and the freeholder decided to redevelop the site. The partners saw this as an opportunity to bring together staff who previously had been spread out across five floors. They chose to take a floor in the Leadenhall, not just because they designed it, but also because they saw it as the best fit for their needs. It puts them in the heart of the City of London, right next to Rogers' career-defining Lloyds building . "Thirty-six years after winning the competition for Lloyds of London, we are delighted to have moved across the road," said Rogers. "Offices have changed immeasurably in that time, and this move from Thames Wharf Studios reflects that." Photograph by Mark Gorton "The riverside location was unique but on a daily basis it was hard to get together as a single studio," added senior partner Ivan Harbour. "Our collaborative spirit was ultimately challenged by our workplace." Related story Legorreta and Rogers team up to complete Mexico City bank headquarters "We are now all in one studio, in the very heart of the City," he continued. "Our clients experience our architecture firsthand and how we use it.

Our legacy frames both sides of the street." Photograph by Paul Raftery The new office takes up all of the building's 14th floor. Desks are arranged in three groups beside the windows on the west, south and east walls, offering staff views of St Paul's Cathedral, Canary Wharf and the Lloyd's building. Each bank of desks is fronted by a brightly-toned metal cabinet, while HÅG Capisco office chairs are provided in bright blue, red, orange and green. Photograph by Paul Raftery These workspaces wrap around a central presentation space, which has glazed walls so staff can see what's going on inside. It can host up to 200 people for lectures, but can also be subdivided into several meeting areas. The entrance is located at the northern end of the building, along with facilities including toilets, a kitchen and a model-making workshop. The pieces made in this workshop, along with archive models, are displayed on a large shelving unit nearby. Photograph by Paul Raftery There are also quiet areas in the corners of the building surrounded by plants, where staff can take time out from their work.

True to the firm's architecture, which typically leaves services exposed, the ventilation ducts and electrical cables running across the ceiling are left uncovered, revealing the full height of the space. Photograph by Mark Gorton "My thoughts were very much ones of how the possibilities of office space, which by its very nature tends to be neutral, could become more expressive of the building's architectural intent," said senior partner Graham Stirk. "This led to our decision to reveal the muscular steelwork, services and all of the components that make a modern office space function, and celebrate them in a clear and legible manner. It has become a well-coordinated New York loft where the backdrop is neutral but offset by fantastic splashes of colour and activity." Photograph by Tobi Frenzen A custom lighting system was developed with engineer and Arup and lighting consultants Speirs + Major , consisting of circular LED fittings arranged in a grid that lines up with the building's exposed structure. These lights change in tone across the day, to suit the level of daylight outside. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners completed work on the Leadenhall Building in late 2014.

Photograph courtesy of British Land Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners was formerly known as the Richard Rogers Partnership, but changed its name in 2007 to reflect the roles of its other partners. The firm's portfolio includes the Stirling Prize-winning Maggie's Centre in London and the Bodegas Protos winery in Spain. With a height of 224 metres, the office block is the tallest building in the City of London. Photograph courtesy of British Land The firm completed work on the Leadenhall Building in 2014. With a height of 224 metres, the office block is the tallest building in the City of London. The building is often referred to as the Cheesegrater in reference to its tapered profile, designed to respect views of St Paul's Cathedral. Photography is by the architects, apart from where otherwise indicated.

Project credits: Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Structural engineer: Arup How The Leadenhall Building 'Cheesegrater' has come to tower over London | Daily Mail Online Share this article Share It will have external lifts and the slanting wedge-shaped design means the much-loved view from Fleet Street to St Paul's Cathedral will not be ruined as it would have been if it had been a normal bloc. One of the most hotly anticipated buildings in London and one of the most controversial is the 'Walkie-Talkie' in Fenchurch Street. The top heavy design makes the building's most distinctive feature possible - it will have a top floor 'sky garden' which will be open to the public. Originally planned to be 40-metres taller, developers faced opposition from heritage groups who feared the view of St Paul's would be ruined. The concrete core was recently topped out and the structural steelwork is now underway. Completion is expected in 2014. The sky's the limit: Photograph of the City of London taken in August 2011 before the new construction work took place A close-up shot of the Leadenhall Building, nicknamed the Cheesegrater due to its triangular shape.

The building was designed by Richard Rogers A view of the slowly growing Leadenhall Building situated in the heart of the City of London. Once completed the building will stand at an impressive 225 metres, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city Due to its wedge shape, the Leadenhall Building has been given the nickname the Cheesegrater but it is hoped that this unusual design will have less impact on the protected view of St Paul's Cathedral Mr Hawkes said: 'I started this project to capture the ever-changing face of London. 'London has changed a considerable amount over the years and new development plans continue to appear, with buildings materialising as if overnight. 'But the process for one building has not been so fast. Another new development in the City of London is 20 Fenchurch Street. Due to be completed in 2014, the Walkie Talkie was designed by Rafael Vinoly Designed by Rafael Vinoly, 20 Fenchurch Street will feature three-storeys of botanical gardens at the top of the building, making them London's highest public park. 'Despite starting in 2008, construction has been on hold for The Pinnacle since early 2012.

'However, almost every time I go up in the air over London there is something new to photograph. 'Each adjustment to the city is really fascinating.' High-flying living: The rest of Britain may be in the doldrums but these pictures show how the capital city is still a boom-town A view of London taken by aerial photographer Jason Hawkes took the pictures while flying in a helicopter over the financial district of the capital A close up view of a new development in the City of London - 5 Broadgate. Developed by British Land and Blackstone, the building will become home to UBS when it is completed in 2016 Unique design: 20 Fenchurch Street, AKA the Walkie-Talkie, now looms over the City of London A view of the skyline of the City of London at dusk. In the foreground you can see 20 Fenchurch Street, which is still under construction A view of St George Wharf Tower, a residential skyscraper under construction in Vauxhall. When it is completed it will be 181 metres making it the tallest solely residential building in the UK A view of some of the top floors of The Shard.

Despite all the new developments, the Shard still stands tallest at 310 metres Built-up: This image shows much of the development on Victoria Street including Cardinal Place and the new construction work at Victoria Circle From 2,400-feet above the city these pictures show how London's skyscrapers have sprung up in just over 18-months The Cheesegrater: Richard Rogers sprinkles the Square Mile | Art and design | The Guardian Architecture The Cheesegrater: Richard Rogers sprinkles the Square Mile Richard Rogers and his team have conquered the City of London skyline – with an elegant new tower that takes his hi-tech, inside-out architecture to new heights. Oliver Wainwright catches the view from the top of 'the Cheesegrater' Menagerie of silhouettes … the Leadenhall Building, to the right of the Gherkin, on the City skyline. Photograph: John Safa Architecture The Cheesegrater: Richard Rogers sprinkles the Square Mile Richard Rogers and his team have conquered the City of London skyline – with an elegant new tower that takes his hi-tech, inside-out architecture to new heights.

Oliver Wainwright catches the view from the top of 'the Cheesegrater' Share on Messenger Close 'I can claim the credit for this one," says Peter Rees, chief planning officer of the City of London, with a laugh. "When I first saw a model of the building, I told Richard Rogers I could imagine his wife, Ruthie, using it to grate parmesan. I don't think he was too happy, but it stuck." Rees is talking about the Leadenhall Building , a 225m-tall skeletal glass-and-steel wedge that soars up from the streets of the City, the latest arrival in an ever-growing menagerie of novelty silhouettes that he has ushered in during his 28 years as choreographer of this coveted stretch of skyline. Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, the new colossus's nickname has already caught on: the Cheesegrater. Buildings with curious monikers are, however, nothing new to the Square Mile.

Centuries ago, the Church of St Andrew on Leadenhall Street was given the nickname Undershaft, as it stood in the shadow of a giant maypole that was eventually destroyed by Puritans in the 1540s. Today, with a shaft of a very different kind now looming over the church, buildings in the City no longer draw their names from centuries-old rituals, but from what they look like if you squint a bit. The steep, triangular mass of the Cheesegrater has now reached its full height, an event that will be celebrated in a topping-out ceremony tomorrow, even if the building won't be fully finished until next year. Alongside it stands the curvaceous Gherkin and, to the south and bulging like a bouncer, the Walkie-Talkie . In addition to these towers, there are plans for a building shaped like a can of ham , another like a knife , and yet another like a rolled-up napkin . The City of London is becoming a bizarre dinner party in the sky. "Nicknaming is important," says Rees.

"The fact that the public warmed to tall buildings after the Gherkin is indicated by the fact that they wanted names for them: they wanted distinctive buildings they could relate to." While its name is the product of a planning-meeting quip, the Cheesegrater's form is dictated by a building that has been the most powerful force in shaping London for the last three centuries. The dome of St Paul's Cathedral, almost a mile to the west, is protected by a convoluted array of height limits and viewing corridor rules. All buildings must bow to these. This perverse favouritism has produced some disasters – such as Jean Nouvel's One New Change shopping centre . Its attempt to limbo under the radar resulted in a clumsy hulk. But with the Cheesegrater, Rogers and his team have used this strange doctrine of deference to great effect, crafting a slender tapering form of rare elegance. The fact that the tower tilts back to the north isn't just to add some visual dynamism – it's also, like an awkward relative leaning out of a wedding photograph, making sure it doesn't spoil the backdrop of the hallowed dome when seen from Fleet Street. This constraint has also had a beneficial commercial side effect.

As the tower rises, the floors diminish, from a rambling 20,000 sq ft at the lower levels to boutique 6,000 sq ft penthouses, aimed at the cream of asset management firms. While the Walkie-Talkie swells out to maximise profits at the higher levels, Leadenhall offers a more diverse range of spaces. This has proved irresistible to insurance giants Aon and Amlin: half the building will be let to them. Reading this on mobile? Click here to view video At ground level, the sloping form is also a piece of deference, a way for the building to respect its neighbours' space. And these are no ordinary neighbours: directly across the street stands Rogers' Grade I-listed Lloyd's building , a symphony of ducts and pipes that partner Graham Stirk worked on 30 years ago when he first joined the practice, fresh out of college. "Let's say it's been quite an intimidating context to work in," he grins, pointing out how the new tower is also sandwiched between a listed Edwin Lutyens building and two ancient churches.

The radical response to this precious, tightly packed spot, so typical of the narrow City streets, has been to do away with the lower floors altogether. The entire 48-storey pile has been jacked up a whopping 30 metres into the air, improbably supported by zig-zagging steel legs that stride around the perimeter. The cavernous void beneath, conceived of as an extension of the adjacent square, will be planted with all the trappings of a public space: lawns, trees, cafes, benches and paved areas that will be "activated" by a programme of events. The space will be controlled by Broadgate Estates, the company that blocked the Occupy protesters from Paternoster Square, by St Paul's, in October 2011. It joins the many pseudo-public spaces (ie, actually private) that the firm runs, from Liverpool One to More London. While the nature of any contemporary public space is becoming increasingly questionable , this is by far the most generous contribution made by any recent building in the Square Mile. It promises to be a dramatic place, boasting a vertical ballet of vast escalators shuttling people up to a suspended lobby and cantilevered restaurants beyond.

This seven-storey space was made possible by the tower's unusual structure, laid out on the facade in typical Rogers fashion. A super-sized steel lattice wraps around the building, creating a "diagrid" of flying beams that intersect at star-shaped joints six metres tall – each weighing 30 tonnes and fixed with chunky "mega-bolts". It's a bit like standing in the middle of some giant Meccano creation, right down to the vibrant colour palette. "This is like bridge engineering," says project architect Andy Young, explaining how the entire building was built off-site, then craned into place bit by bit. As a result, only 150–200 workers were needed, compared with the 500–600 usually required for a project of this scale. Recalling Lloyd's and the Pompidou before it, the Cheesegrater's building-as-machine ethos is celebrated everywhere you look, with each component exposed and painted in jovial colours – just like the cogs of Stirk's transparent watch. On its north side, 22 glass lifts, strapped into orange frames, will hurtle passengers up the yellow shafts at eight metres per second, driven by bright green motors at the summit.

Even the building's shock-absorbing springs have been exposed. "People sit and watch the lifts run up our other buildings," says Stirk, barely able to contain his excitement at these new capsules. "But this will be something else." Naturally, the toilets will be visible, too, or partly, their red-and-blue glazing forming part of the outer wall. It all adds up to a giddying urban cliff of lifts and loos. From the top, I had to crane my neck to make out the Lloyd's building, a mere speck way below. The Cheesegrater seems to have already caught the popular imagination as a spirited building, a cheerful echo of the tapering Shard. After such recent RSH+P projects as London's Neo Bankside and One Hyde Park – that vacant silo for sheiks in Kensington where "public gardens" cower behind metal bars and bulletproof glazing – it has been easy to lose faith in the public-minded rhetoric of Rogers's earlier career. While the Leadenhall is of course a silo for another kind of City elite, it is an intelligent response to the necessities of its site, one that attempts to give as much back to the City as it can.

Let's just hope it's not upstaged by all the dinner-party guests still to come. RSHP reveals its new studio in The Leadenhall Building · News · Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners 14 May 2016 RSHP reveals its new studio in The Leadenhall Building Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has made its mark on one of its own buildings through a fit-out which reflects and promotes its working practices and ethos. After 30 years based at Thames Wharf in Hammersmith West London, the practice has moved to The Leadenhall Building, to a new studio that better suits the practice as it is now. It sought an office space that could accommodate all its 200 staff on one floor, in order to promote communication and collaborative working. Level 14 of the RSHP designed Leadenhall Building gave the opportunity to do just this. The fit-out design was undertaken in-house and reinterprets the design philosophy of the practice as flexible, legible space. The structure of the soffit and services are exposed, rather than using a suspended ceiling, and the full height of the space is revealed giving a greater sense of internal volume.

In doing so, the materiality of the building becomes evident in the interior. The lighting design, by Speirs and Major is responsive to user needs, changing in tone through the day to mimic circadian patterns and promote wellbeing. The studios are grouped to the south, giving sight lines across the whole studio, and beyond to St Paul’s Cathedral, Canary Wharf and Lloyd’s of London. Desks are arranged in three groups aligned to each of the façades, giving the best aspect for all staff. The more highly serviced areas to the north are closer to the service core. Generous circulation space and a large kitchen give opportunities for chance encounters and informal conversations. A large central meeting area, open on three sides and visible to all, provides flexible space capable of hosting either a number of small meetings; the weekly Monday Design Forum, open to all staff; or lectures and events for up to 200 people. The modelshop is located by the front door in the main studio space and the entrance is lined with architectural models, exhibiting the work of the practice to visitors. Additionally, the servers are exposed as an integral part of the life of the practice. There are no cellular offices at RSHP, reflecting the democratic philosophy of the practice.

Instead, the corners are given over to quiet space, for meetings, reflection and relaxation. A planting concept by Dan Pearson Studio will be located in the corners to provide a visual amenity. The fit-out was designed in-house, led by Richard Rogers, Graham Stirk, Ivan Harbour and Andrew Morris and was completed on time and on budget to a 16-week programme. A number of products have been developed in partnership with suppliers specifically for the space, including a new benching system by Ahrend and lighting by Spectral Designs. Richard Rogers, Senior Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said: "36 years after winning the competition for the Lloyd’s of London we are delighted to have moved across the road into The Leadenhall Building. Offices have changed immeasurably in that time, and this move from Thames Wharf Studios reflects that. We have had the chance to look at how we work as a practice. We are unique in the architectural world with our constitution and benefits and we have worked hard to preserve the practice’s ethos. Our new studio embodies the teamwork, flexibility and sustainable working practices that characterise our architecture.

We have taken the spirit and the community of RSHP, and moved it successfully to the City." Graham Stirk, Senior Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said: "I never imagined we would be in the City. I always enjoyed the place, its dynamism and activity, whilst working on Lloyd’s of London and subsequent projects over three decades. During this period I have been a witness to its radical change. I am now immensely proud to be part of this transition. When the opportunity arose for us to become tenants of The Leadenhall Building, my thoughts were very much ones of how the possibilities of office space, which by its very nature tends to be neutral, could become more expressive of the buildings architectural intent. This led to our decision to reveal the muscular steelwork, services and all of the components that make a modern office space function, and celebrate them in a clear and legible manner. It has become a well-coordinated New York loft where the backdrop is neutral but offset by fantastic splashes of colour and activity. It projects a surprising level of humanity within a great super-studio space.

" Ivan Harbour, Senior Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said "Since the practice moved to Thames Wharf over thirty years ago we have grown in size beyond our expectation. Through those years we gradually spread ourselves across our riverside campus, over the five floors of our building and into other spaces around our courtyard. The riverside location was unique but on a daily basis it was hard to get together as a single studio. Our collaborative spirit was ultimately challenged by our workplace. When our freeholder indicated they were not going to renew our lease we decided we should look for a place where we could all be in one studio, together. As a practice of around 200 people our options were severely limited and it seemed an impossible dream that we might find the right sized space in a building of our own without moving even further out of the city we love or moving to an established enclave in a building designed by others. We have always done things our own way so an available floor in The Leadenhall Building has realised that dream; we are now all in one studio, in the very heart of the City. Our studio now embraces our collective atmosphere, our clients experience our architecture first hand and how we use it, our legacy frames both sides of the street.

" Andrew Morris, Senior Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said "The Partners visited many potential offices in Brick Lane, Clerkenwell, King’s Cross, Soho and Shoreditch but found that The Leadenhall Building provided the best commercial offer, and the opportunity of moving to one of our own buildings was irresistible. The efficiency of the floor plate meant that we needed to take less area and a new building allowed us to invest in the fit-out and totally up-grade our IT systems. Other offices we viewed were less efficient and there was no substantial difference in the square foot rate to outweigh all of the other benefits.” Maurice Brennan, Project Architect, Associate, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said: "When we started the design of RSHP’s Level 14 fit-out we already knew the building inside-out. We had written the original Leadenhall Building occupier fit-out guide for British Land / Oxford Properties but we were now being encouraged by our client turned landlord to tear it up and come at it afresh. The design for Level 14 naturally became an extension of the principle architectural organisation of the building and a legible expression of its constituent parts informed by the division of spaces into 'served space' and 'servant areas'.

The servant areas to the North are made up of glazed support accommodation that becomes a natural extension to the building’s primary North support core with loose fit perforated ceilings and expressed structure. In the main studio, defined by the building’s primary megaframe structure to create a single, uninterrupted light-filled 1,100 sq m studio space, we dispensed with ceilings and gained an extra metre in height to give a floor to soffit height of 3.7m providing an open, legible M+E installation. By working collaboratively with the main contractor, Ruddy Joinery who we knew well from the base build, and BPI, the M&E contractor, we were able to quickly work towards shared goals. By adopting a hands on approach, rather than an administrative role, we were able to quickly build up a mutual respect that allowed each supply partner to take ownership of their work. We did not want to be in a contractual situation where we were guaranteeing answers to RFI’s within 5 days; instead we guaranteed an architect would be present on site at all times in order to respond directly to any situation that arose.

This was the only way we could achieve completion within 16 weeks, on time and on budget." Andy Sedgwick, Director, Arup said "The RSHP fit-out on level 14 exposes the engineering skeleton of The Leadenhall Building to view: high level services reticulate through the steel floor beams, taking support from the precast concrete floor panels above. The contractor was provided with a fully coordinated Revit model allowing an orderly installation at great speed. Air conditioning is provided by high-level packaged fan coil units that contain all valves and controls in a common housing with the coils and the fan. Integral sound absorbing panels give the underside of each unit a tidy appearance, and ductwork and pipework is clad with black nitrile rubber that provides additional sound absorption as well as thermal insulation. The floor-by-floor approach adopted to air handling at Leadenhall means that each tenant can run their climate control system for extended hours independent of the other floors. Heat recovery between the supply and exhaust unit is by run-around coil – this means there is no recirculation of exhaust air, and local extract systems for the modelshop and kitchenette areas can simply be joined with the general office extract for exhaust.

The lighting scheme was developed by Arup in collaboration with Speirs + Major. The array of circular LED light fittings corresponds to the spacing of the structural grid and services above, as well as to the layout of the floor below. This approach provides a lit datum under the exposed ceiling services, and in lifting the space, results in a bright and welcoming visual environment. The luminaires were specially adapted by Spectral Lighting for direct mounting to distribution cable tray. The light subtly shifts in colour throughout the day, from cool to warm, to mimic the natural shifts in the colour of daylight throughout the day – creating a stimulating working atmosphere. To provide flexibility, the lighting can be augmented by track-mounted spotlights to provide task lighting or to highlight objects." richard rogers leadenhall building to go ahead richard rogers leadenhall building to go ahead × keep up to date with recent articles and upcoming events DAILY richard rogers leadenhall building to go ahead the leadenhall building, london by rogers stirk + harbour all images courtesy rogers stirk + harbour a deal between british land and canadian oxford partnerships to develop the leadenhall building, london known as the ‘cheesegrater’, has been sealed.

the two firms have entered into a 50:50 agreement to develop the leadenhall building in the square mile. work on the planned tower in the heart of the city of london first got underway three years ago, because of the global financial crisis. designed by richard rogers , leadenhall is to hit a height of 736 ft, with its 47 storeys providing 612,000 sq ft of office space, becoming one of the tallest buildings within that part of the city’s square mile. the distinctive triangular development with ‘spire-like tapering profile’ is designed to sit outside the strategic views of st paul’s cathedral. demolition began in december 2006 and finished in late 2008. the building will be completed by mid-2014 with an estimated construction cost of 340 million pounds. night time view from the undershaft the base of the building side view the future of the financial district ridhika naidoo I designboom dec 27, 2010 Its a great building, but does it really adds something to the skyline of the city?

Only in a aerial view perhaps… Mateus v Stralen Richard Rogers on the Leadenhall building known as the Cheesegrater 11 comments In the next movie in our series focussing on the work of Richard Rogers , the British architect talks exclusively to Dezeen about the challenges of designing an interesting office building and explains how the new Leadenhall building in London, dubbed "the Cheesegrater", got its distinctive shape. Update: this interview is featured in Dezeen Book of Interviews , which is on sale now for £12 . Richard Rogers of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners . Photo copyright: Dezeen The Leadenhall building is a new 225-metre skyscraper by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners in the City of London, which topped out in June and is due to be completed in 2014. Positioned opposite Richard Rogers' famous Lloyd's building , the 50-storey office building features a glazed body that is tapered on one side - hence its popular nickname.

Watch a time-lapse movie documenting the construction of the Leadenhall building » Render showing Leadenhall building as it will look when completed in 2014 Office buildings, Rogers admits, "tend to be very boring". The key to creating the Leadenhall building's distinctive angular form, he says, was creatively working with the constraints of the site. "One of the arts of architecture is to use constraints, turn them upside down and see whether they can help you to design the building," he explains. The Leadenhall building's tapered shape is designed to preserve views of St Paul's Cathedral "The main constraint on Leadenhall was the view to St Paul's [Cathedral]. London is unique in being partly controlled by views; you have to leave certain views open to St Paul's and we were on one of those views. So we made use of this and we cut it back at an angle and that gave us that prominent section and profile, [which can be seen] from all over London." Leadenhall building under construction. Photograph by Dan Lowe The Leadenhall building's criss-crossing steel frame will be displayed prominently through the external glazing.

Rogers claims that this has an important role to play in giving the building scale. "The building itself expresses its system of construction because it’s one of the things in which we get scale," he says. "Scale is critical. Height and length have limited use. You can make a building immensely large and overbearing, which is basically a single storey, or you can make a building which is very light and it's got fifty storeys. How you break it down is critical." Leadenhall building under construction. Photograph by Paul Raftery Rogers claims that many of the ideas that informed his earlier buildings, such as placing the mechanical services on the outside of the building, are also present in the Leadenhall building. However, the nature of changing technology means that they are implemented in different ways. "The elements which we’ve got to know well we're using here," he says, pointing out the banks of elevators located on the back of the building. "We are using a lot of flexibility obviously. So we're using that but in a way that, more or less forty years after Pompidou, is very much machine-made." Leadenhall building under construction.

Photograph by Paul Raftery He adds: "We thought Lloyd’s was the absolute ultimate in the art of technology. When I look at it now, it’s handmade practically. We had [a few] pieces [built] off-site. Leadenhall is all built off-site." Rogers says he enjoys the contrast between the two buildings, which stand in such close proximity to each other but were built nearly 30 years apart. Render showing how the banks of elevators at the rear of the building will look "It’s very exciting to see the dialogue between these two, and actually, I think it’s really exciting to see the dialogue between Lloyds of London, Leadenhall and the dome of St Paul's in the background, of a totally different period," he says. "To me that’s what architecture is all about. It’s not about fitting in, it’s setting up these dialogues. The enjoyment of St Paul's was that it was seen against a very low and rather poor medieval background. That was a flourish. It's exactly the same with any form of architecture.

It’s a dialogue, it’s a beauty that comes from contrast." Render showing Leadenhall building as it will look when completed in 2014 The Leadenhall Building to be RSHP’s new home · News · Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners 14 January 2015 The Leadenhall Building to be RSHP’s new home RSHP has signed an agreement with developers British Land and Oxford Properties to lease level 14 of The Leadenhall Building, a new office tower in the City of London designed by the practice. RSHP, who will relocate later in 2015 after more than thirty years at Thames Wharf Studios, Hammersmith, is taking a 15 year lease with 10 year break for level 14, which at 18,000 sq ft is the largest remaining floor at the building. RSHP was appointed by British Land in 2001 to develop plans for the office building at 122 Leadenhall Street.

Led by Partner Graham Stirk, the design team conceived the building’s distinctive slanting profile, which has earned the building the nickname ‘The Cheesegrater’, in order to respect a protected sight line of St Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street. The Leadenhall Building, the tallest in The City of London, is equally recognisable at street level where it creates a new seven-storey high public space complementing the adjacent St Helen’s Square. This area runs underneath the building, opening a new public route from Bishopsgate through to Leadenhall Street. The Partners at RSHP said: “We are very proud of The Leadenhall Building and delighted to become its latest tenants. After 30 years at Thames Wharf Studios, it is important for us to be moving into a building that reflects the ethos and evolution of our design practice, clearly stated in its urban relationship with the Lloyd’s building opposite.

We will begin this new phase of our history in a building that already feels like home but allows us the advantages of a contemporary, flexible office space in a prime location in the increasingly vibrant and exciting City of London.” Tim Roberts, Head of Offices at British Land said: “Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has been a trusted partner throughout the conception and delivery of The Leadenhall Building, and we are delighted that this relationship will continue with them as an occupier of the building. The decision of the practice to move here underlines that this building is emblematic of the modern City, appealing to a diverse mix of occupiers in addition to those from the financial services sector.” Mike Rayner, Head of Development at Oxford Properties said: “Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners is one of the world’s leading architecture practices and their decision to move to The Leadenhall Building provides the ultimate endorsement.

This is a world class building, which is attracting high calibre occupiers across a broad range of sectors.” Leadenhall Building panoramic photos, gigapixels and 360 panoramas 30 St Mary Axe 360 Panorama, Dawn to Dusk Jun 30 2015 One of the City of London’s most iconic buildings is 11 this year. The building commonly known as ‘the Gherkin’ is the 4th tallest in the City of London, behind Tower 42, the Heron Tower and the Leadenhall Building (‘the Cheesegrater’), but still stands out as instantly recognisable on the City’s skyline. It counts as […] Silvered City Feb 06 2015 View over some of London’s most iconic buildings. After St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower 42 is the grand old lady of tall buildings here, having been first occupied in 1980, with the Lloyds building following in ’86.

It seems impossible to think of the City of London now without the Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe) which […] Winter Sun London Feb 02 2015 View from the roof of the Leadenhall Building looking out over London in the January sun. This is one of the times of day that light and the clouds can alter swiftly, and to capture a high resolution image in the few instants before you lose that special moment where sunlight and cloud concatenate is […] London from The Leadenhall Jan 22 2015 London is so vast, and such a city of architectural extremes that each new vantage point on high gives a new perspective on the familiar. Even within the square mile, the skyline shifts and provides something new to fascinate. When I first lived in London, Tower 42 was known as the Natwest Tower (the shapes […] Lambent London – View From 30 St Mary Axe Jan 14 2015 When setting up a shoot from a tall building, it’s easy to become absorbed in the technicalities. The kit, the back-up in case of equipment failure, the technical process, waiting for the right weather, there’s much to plan for.

And then, there are moments of pure magic for me when the light is briefly quite […] Infinitely London Dec 13 2013 London’s skyline is constantly changing and this high resolution panorama features two striking new buildings, both close to completion. In the foreground is 20 Fenchurch Street. Its nickname the ‘Walkie Talkie’ can be attributed to its bulging, concave form. Just behind is The Leadenhall Building, rising to 225m, designed by Richard Rogers, architect of the […] The Leadenhall Building A behind the scenes tour of One of the tallest office buildings in London The Leadenhall Building All images: The Leadenhall Building. © Gerald McLean / RIBA Library Photographs Collection Image: The Leadenhall Building The latest addition to London’s skyline, The Leadenhall Building will soon be home to the offices of several thousand City workers in some of the highest offices in Britain. With the building rising to 224.5 metres they’ll enjoy spectacular views looking down on the Gherkin, Lloyd’s building , St Paul’s Cathedral and much farther afield.

Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, The Leadenhall Building is already more widely known as the ‘Cheesegrater’ due to its distinctive wedge-shaped profile, a response to the need to maintain the view of St Paul’s from Fleet Street. ...widely known as the ‘Cheesegrater’ due to its distinctive wedge-shaped profile... The 18,000 tonne triangular steel megaframe was engineered by Arup . Like Richard Rogers Partnership’s Grade 1 listed Lloyd’s building opposite which it dwarfs, the building services are separated from the main office spaces, in this case by a separate service tower on the north side of the building. Characterised by bright yellow steelwork the service area also contains the circulation areas and high-speed glazed lifts which depending on one’s disposition to vertigo provide either one of the most exciting or scary views of the City! Thus the simple rectangular floorplates, which progressively decrease by 750mm with each storey towards the apex, are unencumbered with services or a structural core maximizing office space. In addition to the offices there is a seven-storey high public space complete with shops, bars and landscaping.

Article by Jonathan Makepeace Imaging Services Manager, British Architectural Library, RIBA Find out more These images form part of a set of over 120 images on RIBApix of the Leadenhall Building taken by Gerald McLean and for any enquiries about reproducing these images please contact ribapix@riba.org . Jonathan Makepeace would like to thank Gerald for so generously supporting RIBApix and Angelo Christo of the Leadenhall Building for allowing a full behind the scenes tour of the building.

Question: What is the nickname of Richard Rogers’ new Leadenhall building in London?
Answer: The Cheesegrater