The design for Heron Tower at 110 Bishopsgate will provide highly flexible work space to support diverse tenant needs. Set on a prominent site at the junction of Bishopsgate and Camomile Street in the heart of the City of London, the building form organizes itself around a series of office “villages” with a triple-height atrium at the heart of each. Unlike the earlier generation of tall buildings in the City whose monolithic forms are mute within their urban context, Heron Tower will be a transparent and articulate structure, tempering growing urban concerns associated with construction, operation and maintenance through the integration of innovative technology to promote environmental responsibility. From the Bishopsgate approach, the building provides a marker to the northern edge of the city core. The face of the building reveals the organization of “villages” within, its richly textured northern elevation displaying the internal organization of stacked atria. To the south, a slender lift core is animated by the movement of glazed lift cars, two of which provide access to the new public restaurant at roof level. To the east and west, a highly transparent ventilated façade creates a bio-climatic, energy-efficient enclosure. As a busy traffic island with narrow pavements, the project site is currently inhospitable to pedestrians. The redevelopment of the site will make significant improvements to circulation and access, including the opening of a pedestrian section of Houndsditch to the north. This space, animated by planting and cafés, will enhance the setting of the Grade II listed St. Botolph’s Church opposite, while an arcade along Bishopsgate will provide a generous footpath to the busy street.
