Top 10 Tallest Buildings in the UK
When we talk about the counties with the tallest buildings in the world, the United States, UAE, and the name of the Southeast Asian countries come first to our mind. But today we are going to take a look into the top 10 tallest buildings in the United Kingdom as of 2024.
Throughout history, the UK has never been popular for tall buildings but the Cathedrals. There has never been a magnificent growth in the number of tall buildings even during the 20th century when the craziness of tall building structures began.
Although there are many skyscrapers in the United Kingdom, the majority of them are only located in big cities. London and Manchester are the two major ones. As of the state of 2024, there are 137 buildings taller than 100 meters that are functional.
1. The Shard
When we look at the list of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom, the Shard comes at the top of the list. It is also known as the Shard of Glass. Moreover, it is the seventh tallest building in Europe as well.
The building is located in London, United Kingdom. The height of the building is 310 meters with a floor count of 95, of which only 72 floors are eligible for use. The Shard is used for multiple functions and has an observatory at a height of 244 meters.
The construction of the buildings started in March 2009 and was completed in July 2012, but it was opened in February 2013. The Shard is owned by the State of Qatar and Sellar Property Group. However, 95 percent is owned by the State of Qatar and the rest of the Sellar Property Group.
The building is built on the site of a 24-story building known as Southwark Towers. The main architect of the tower is Renzo Piano and it was developed by Sellar Property Group. However, the main contractor of the Shard was Mace.
2. 22 Bishopsgate
The building that ranks second in the list of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom is 22 Bishopsgate. It is also known as Twentytwo. The building is used for commercial purposes and is located in London, United Kingdom.
The building stands at a height of 278 meters( 912 feet) and has a total of 62 floors. The construction of the building started in 2016 after a long delay and was completed in 2020. The site of the building is owned by a consortium that was led by Axa Real Estate.
The main architecture firm which designed the 22 Bishopsgate is PLP Architecture and the structural engineer is WSP Global. Meanwhile, the main contractor of the building was Multiplex.
3. One Canada Square
The third tallest building in the United Kingdom is One Canada Square. The building is located in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom and it is fully used as a commercial building. The “One Canada Square” has a height of 235 meters(770 feet) and there are 50 floors in the building.
The construction of the building started in 1988 and was completed in 1991. The estimated cost of One Canada Square is £624 million and it is owned by Canary Wharf Group. Moreover, it is also managed by Canary Wharf Group. The building was designed by César Pelli & Associates, Adamson Associates, and Frederick Gibberd Coombes & Partners.
The main developer of the building is Olympia and York and the building’s main contractors were Sir Robert McAlpine, Ellis Don, Lehrer McGovern, Bovis Balfour Beatty, Olympia & York, and more than 40 subcontractors. Over the years, the building has been a landmark for the city of London and has been featured in many films, and television shows.
4. Landmark Pinnacle
Landmark Pinnacle comes in the fourth spot on the list of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom. It is also known as City Pride. The building is located in Marsh Wall, London, United Kingdom. Its total height is 233 meters(764 feet) with a total of 77 floors in it.
The Landmark Pinnacle is the first tall building that is fully used as a residential building. The construction of the building started in 2012 on the site in which the City Pride Pub was located. The constitution of the building ended in 2020 and about 200 tenants were there in the building in March 2021.
The main architecture firm behind the design of the building is Squire and Partners and the main developer of this project is Chalegrove Properties Limited. The structural engineer of the project was the WSP Group.
5. 110 Bishopsgate(Heron Tower)
The fifth tallest building in the United Kingdom is 110 Bishopsgate. It is also known as Heron Tower. 110 Bishopsgate is located in London, United Kingdom. It is used as a commercial building. The height of the building is 230 meters with a total of 46 floors.
The construction work of the Heron Tower started in 2007 and was completed in 2011. The building was designed by Kohn Pederson Fox with the main structural engineer being Arup. However, the main contractor of the building is Skanska.
6. The Leadenhall Building
The Leadenhall Building comes in sixth place on the list of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom. The building is addressed informally as the Cheesegrater because of its similar outdoor design to that of an instrument found in the kitchen. It is located in the city of London, United Kingdom.
The construction of the building began after a long period of delay in 2010, and in June 2013, the construction was completed finally, and in July 2014, the building was opened. According to the estimates, the cost of the Leadenhall Building is about 1.15 billion and it is owned by C.C Land.
The height of this building is 225 meters with a total of 48 floors. Roger Stirk Harbour and his partner were the main architecture firm that designed the Leadenhall building in postmodern form. Structural and Services engineering both was done by Arup. It is used commercially for offices.
7. The Newfoundland
On the seventh spot of the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom, we have “The Newfoundland”. It is mainly a residential building and is located between Westferry Road and Bank Street on the Isle of Dogs, London, United Kingdom. The building is 220 meters high with 58 floors on board.
The construction of the building started in 2015 and was completed in 2021. The main architecture firm responsible for the design of “The Newfoundland” was Horden Cherry Lee and its structural engineering was done by WSP Global. Canary Wharf Contractors were the main contractor of the project.
8. Hampton Tower
The Hampton Tower is the eighth tallest building in the United Kingdom. The tower is the tallest one in the South Quay Plaza. It is located in London, United Kingdom. The height of the building is 215 meters with a total of 68 floors.
The construction of the Hampton Tower was completed in 2020. However, the other buildings of the complex are still under construction and are estimated to be completed in 2022. The building is the second-tallest residential building in the United Kingdom.
The whole complex along with the Hampton Tower is designed by “Foster+ Partners” in a modern style and the structural engineers were the WSP. However, the main contractor of the buildings is Laing O’Rourke.
9. One Park Drive
When we take a look at the list of the 10 tallest buildings in the United Kingdom, we get One Park Drive at the ninth spot. It the located in the Isle of Dogs, London, United Kingdom. The “One Park Drive” is a fully residential building.
The building was started in 2017 and completed in June 2021. The building was designed by the architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and its structure is cylindrical in shape.
The height of One Park Drive is 205 meters and there are 58 floors in it. Canary Wharf Group is the owner of the building. The structural engineering firm of the building is AKT ll. In “One Park Drive”, there are 468 private residential apartments.
10. Deansgate Square
Deansgate Square is the tenth tallest building in the United Kingdom. Deansgate Square is formed by a cluster of four towers located in Owen Street, Manchester, England, the United Kingdom. This is the first building that is not located in London in the list of the 10 tallest buildings in the United Kingdom.
The South Tower is the tallest among the four with a height of 201 meters and has 64 floors in total. Meanwhile, the East, North, and West Towers are 158 meters, 122 meters, and 141 meters tall respectively.
The construction of the North and East Towers was started in October 2017 and completed in 2020. On the other hand, the work on the West and South Towers was started in July 2016 and completed in 2019. The owner of East and South Towers is Renaker, while the owner of West and North Towers is Legal & General.
Although the cost of the buildings is not disclosed still according to estimates the number stands at an excess of €385 million. The architect of the buildings is SimpsonHaugh and Partners Landscape. The developer and the main contractor of the project is Renaker Build LTD. As the buildings are for residential purposes, there are 1508 residential apartments in total.
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Above we have introduced the 10 tallest buildings in the UK. Local travel sales agencies can consider making these tall buildings into souvenirs such as pins, stickers, etc., and sell them to tourists who come to visit. Of course, visitors can also customize their personalized architectural lapel pins online at GS-JJ.com, preserving the classic local architectural style and showing your appreciation and love for these buildings.