Despite the late arrival of springtime, construction of the Leadenhall Building is continuing apace. Over the past three months there has been a great deal of progress on the 736 ft (224m) tall tower which has now surpassed the height of the Gherkin on the ever changing London skyline.
The Leadenhall Building during an earlier stage of construction
Popularly known as the Cheese Grater, due to its distinctive wedge shape, the 47 storey Leadenhall Building will provide the City with an additional 610,000 sq ft of Grade A office space.
A combined 300,000 sq ft has already been pre-let to insurance companies Aon and Amlin leaving floors ranging from 6,500 sq ft to 13,500 sq ft still available. The Leadenhall Building will also include space for leisure and retail facilities together with a seven storey landscaped public space at ground level.
Since the turn of the year work on the building’s steel frame has progressed well and the tapered façade, which features duel layers of glass, has been reaching higher and higher. Even the dreadful weather in February failed to slow the progress of the Leadenhall Building and the principle office area is now complete between levels 5-11 and on-going between levels 12-19.
The framework and the pre-cast floors have now reached the 39th floor and the strongbox which provides the building’s stability is in progress between levels 40-47. Meanwhile work on the lift shafts has been going well in the North core.
Over the coming weeks the glazing operation will continue to be the most visible aspect of the construction, while the high voltage power is switched on and the first lift cars are expected to be on site.
The Leadenhall Building is being developed by British Land and Oxford Properties and is due to be completed in the summer of 2014. It was designed by Richard Rogers who is also responsible for the nearby futuristic Lloyds Building which was granted Grade I listed status in 2011.
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