The Shard, as it is known, has brought about much debate for its futuristic design and the expensive apartments in a part of town that is facing economic challenges.
"Towering 310 metres over the south bank of the River Thames, the Shard already dominates London like no other building, its spire sometimes obscured by cloud in the British capital's often overcast skies," writes reporter Maria Golovnina. The building is 95 stories high, has a price tag of £435 million and was designed by hot architect of the moment Renzo Piano. The interior spaces are not yet completed and won't open until next year, but the building is already facing criticism.
Jonathan Jones, the art critic at The Guardian, says "The Shard is grotesquely out of scale with other London landmarks: it is so big that it demands a massive skyscraper forest around itself."
Decide for yourself by watching this video of The Shard under construction:
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research