The Gherkin’s tapering glass profile rises from the City of London’s dense street pattern, widening at mid-height before narrowing toward its top. Its spiralling atria and opening façade panels make the building’s environmental strategy part of its architectural form, not just hidden machinery.
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The tower does not rise as a simple vertical box. At 30 St Mary Axe, the curved profile expands around its middle and narrows toward the ground and crown, giving the building its familiar nickname, the Gherkin.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- 30 St Mary Axe was designed by Foster + Partners.
- The tower was completed in 2003.
- The building uses spiralling atria and natural ventilation features.
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