The Shard London Bridge the newest landmark

The Shard is London's newest landmark and changing the London skyline. It has been a development that I have been keeping an eye on and interests me a lot. It has recently been topped out and set to be completed this July at a cost of £450 million. It is being designed by world famous architect Renzo Piano.

New techniques have been used to design and construct the Shard, such as the time and money saving method of building upwards as well as putting the sub terranian levels in, which previously would have been done by building the basement levels first.

As well as offering premium office and residential space the Shard will also contain a hotel spa and restaurants. The development also extends outwards to the surrounding community as it will improve the local transport networks by improving the Lonon Bridge rail and tube station as well as adding a museum, Public Piaza, concorse and regeneration of the local housing.

I like the tapering design which its architect Renzo Piano has acieved, was inspired by the railway lines next to the site, the London spires depicted by the Venetian painter Canaletto, and the masts of bygone sailing ships. The tapering design also interests me as it gives the illusion from street view that it is even taller, this links to my work on one point perspective.
The Shard is expected to be opened 5th July. Channel 4 has filmed a documentry about the construction of the Shard.