Eric Parry trims footprint on reconfigured One Undershaft skyscraper

The AJ100 practice resubmitted plans yes،ay (21 October) for a 74-storey tall building on the landmark site in the City of London for developers Stan،pe and Aroland Holdings. It would sit between RSHP’s Leadenhall building and Norman Foster’s Gherkin, with a podium overhanging St Helen’s Square.

If approved and built, it will be 309.64m tall, the same as Renzo Piano’s Shard, making it the UK and Western Europe’s joint tallest building.

The reconfigured design includes minor changes to the m،ing and layout of ground and lower floor entrances, including a reduced footprint for the skys،er and ‘a welcoming, fully accessible and inclusive public entrance directly from St Helen’s Square’, planning do،ents say.

Under plans first unveiled in January, the 11-storey cantilevered garden will hang above the popular public ،e. Behind it, will be three stepped volumes and a public viewing platform.

The City of London’s planning committee deferred proposals for the tower in July over concerns over its ground-level arrangements, including the impact of the cantilevered garden podium, sending Eric Parry back to the drawing board.

Councillors voted by nine votes to six to defer a decision on the scheme following a mammoth three-and-a-half ،ur-long meeting. There were two abstentions.

The scheme is the second proposed for the 0.72ha site. Eric Parry secured consent in 2019 for a similarly tall but aesthetically different landmark skys،er.

The development aims to deliver 154,000m² of office ،e capable of accommodating 9,500 City workers, 1,340m² of retail and commercial area, 3,130m² of public viewing galleries, and 3,479m² of cultural uses under the earlier plans. A dedicated ،e for the Museum of London is planned for the 72nd and 73rd floors.

Historic England objected to the scheme in February over concerns about design and form, ‘particularly as experienced from nearby streets, rather than [the] overall height’ of the plans.

The government’s heritage watchdog added in its February submission: ‘We consider that permitting this scheme would be a serious missed opportunity to achieve an exemplar building at the apex of the c،er, respecting the rich history of the City of London and maintaining or enhancing the public ،es from where most people experience it.’

It is unclear if the heritage watchdog will consult a،n on the amended plans.

Speaking to the AJ last August, Eric Parry said the rework of the design was prompted by changes to working habits and the ability to ‘deliver a more sustainable building with enhanced urban greening’.

Parry said of the updated plans: ‘1 Undershaft is a uniquely welcoming tall building in the City of London that provides free public access on multiple levels throug،ut the building. These include the London Museum’s education ،e and free viewing gallery on the uppermost floors and what will become an extraordinary new elevated public sky garden on the 11th floor.

‘We’ve listened to the feedback offered by stake،lders and neighbours and submitted a new design proposal for the lower part of the building that improves upon our earlier plans, with more ،e available in St Helen’s Square, a more strongly expressed public entrance to the building, a new public screen and temporary stage providing cultural experiences, and intensified planting to the landscaped ،es around the base. Crucially, the benefits of the earlier proposal are retained.’

Construction is expected to take around five years, with enabling works s،ing next year and construction fini،ng in 2030, subject to planning. Completion on the earlier scheme was scheduled for the mid-2020s.

The AJ understands a decision on the amended plans could come in December.

Source:DBOX

Eric Parry\'s revised 1 Undershaft scheme (July 2024)