When it is finished this summer, The Shard, a 66-storey office block next to London Bridge station, will be the tallest building in Europe however, if Ken Shuttleworth is to be believed, it will also be obsolete. “The tall glass box is dead.” proclaimed the architect who led the team that designed the Gherkin. Speaking in the How green is tall? debate at last month’s Ecobuild event in London, the former Foster + Partners employee and founder of Make architects predicted that Renzo Piano’s new 310m high tower would be demolished and replaced within a few years. Describing The Shard as a ‘greenhouse’, Shuttleworth criticised Piano’s design for its lack external solar shading and used figures to demonstrate that it would generate double the carbon emissions of Make’s latest project at 5 Broadgate, which has only 35% glazing on its facade. For Shuttleworth, The Shard is doomed because it already seems out-of-date and out-of-step with a shift toward increased energy performance and sustainability in high-profile towers. 5 Broadgate, London by Make Architects. In comparison to …![]()
