100 Bishopsgate

Named after one of the original eight gates in the London Wall, Bishopsgate closely follows the alignment of the Roman Ermine Street - an important north-south route through the city and now part of the busy A10. The site is located on the east side of Bishopsgate at the junction with Camomile Street, between Heron Tower (46 floors at 110 Bishopsgate) and The Gherkin (41 floors at 30 St Mary Axe). In contrast, St Helen's Place Conservation Area to the south includes two ancient churches with fabric pre-dating the Great Fire of London. At the southern boundary with Bishopsgate lies the fourteenth century church of St Ethelburga - its Grade 1 listing retained despite major reconstruction following IRA bomb damage in 1993 and now a centre for Reconciliation and Peace. The project also includes part of the north side of St Helen's Place - a planned enclave rarely found in the City, its townscape form is the essential characteristic of the conservation area. An enclosed semi-pedestrianised space, the original Georgian buildings were rebuilt between the two world wars in a neoclassical style faced in Portland stone. On the south side at number seven sits the new Leathersellers' Hall, and beyond it the medieval church of St Helen's Bishopsgate.

The form of the tower responds to the geometries of the site and adjacent buildings by transitioning from a parallelogram at its base to a rectangle crown. In combination with contrasting facade textures which relate to orientation, each separated by articulated corner details repeated rotationally, this transition in form lends the tower a distinctive twisting dynamic. Integral to the scheme is a newly created half acre of public realm which provides completely new pedestrian links across the site. These connections are emphasised by transparency across the entire ground floor of the tower, with continuous floor and soffit surfaces extending beyond a tall perimeter ribbon of full height glazing.

With one of the City's largest unobstructed floor plates, 100 Bishopsgate sets the standard for new multi-tenanted commercial development. Generous spaces contribute to the wellbeing of occupiers; tall floors and full height glazing create naturally lit spaces for working, a cycle hub provides parking for 900 bicycles alongside comfortable changing facilities, and a podium roof garden offers further respite from the busy life of the City. Fostering openness and connectivity, the new public realm knits together the interface for tenants, visitors and the public alike. The transparency of the free-form lobby enclosure emphasises the grounding of the tower and allows clear views towards the core, providing a sense of address for both major and smaller tenants. South of the tower, the new landscaped route provides a permeable pedestrian link west-east between Bishopsgate and St Mary Axe for the first time, with a discreet opening into St Ethelburga's church garden. To the north, the space between the base of the tower and the adjacent podium building creates a clear route from Camomile Street to the heart of the site, active with new retail frontages. The dual-access entrance lobby of 16 St Helen's Place extends this route south into the heart of the conservation area.