The Gherkin
| The Gherkin | |
|---|---|
The Gherkin in 2007 | |
| Alternative names | 30 St Mary Axe / the Swiss Re Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Office |
| Architectural style | Neo-futuristic / hi-tech / post-modern |
| Location | 30 St Mary Axe, London, EC3 |
| Coordinates | 51°30′52″N 00°04′49″W / 51.51444°N 0.08028°W |
| Construction started | 2001 |
| Completed | 2003 |
| Opened | 28 April 2004 |
| Cost | £138 million (plus land cost of £90.6 million) adjusted for inflation: £288 million (plus land cost of £201 million) |
| Owner | Safra Group |
| Height | |
| Roof | 180 metres (591 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 41 |
| Floor area | 64,470 square metres (693,900 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Foster + Partners |
| Structural engineer | Arup |
| Main contractor | Skanska |
| Website | |
| thegherkin | |
| References | |
30 St Mary Axe, previously known as the Swiss Re Building, is a commercial skyscraper in London's primary financial district, the City of London. Its nickname, The Gherkin, is due to its resemblance to the vegetable. It was completed in December 2003 and opened in April 2004. With 41 floors, it is 180 metres (591 ft) tall and stands on the sites of the former Baltic Exchange and Chamber of Shipping, which were extensively damaged in 1992 in the Baltic Exchange bombing by a device placed by the Provisional IRA in St Mary Axe, a narrow street leading north from Leadenhall Street.
After plans to build the 92-storey Millennium Tower were dropped, 30 St Mary Axe was designed by Foster + Partners and the Arup Group. It was built by Skanska; construction started in 2001.
The building has become a recognisable landmark of London, and it is one of the city's most widely recognised examples of contemporary architecture. It won the 2003 Emporis Skyscraper Award.