The Tallest Buildings in the United Kingdom

By January 2017, there were 68 buildings in the UK that were at least 330 feet high, out of which 55 were in London, 4 were in Manchester, and two each in Birmingham and Leeds, while there was one in each of the cities of Brighton and Hove, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Sheffield, and Swansea. There were also 46 buildings under construction that were at least 330 feet tall in the UK, out of which 41 were in London, 4 in Manchester and 1 in Birmingham. Historically, the region has not been historically known for having an affluence of skyscrapers since most of the taller structures throughout the region tend to be church and cathedral spires. However, as of the mid-20th century the country has experienced a significant growth in the number of tall office blocks and apartments buildings in most cities around the United Kingdom.

The Tallest Buildings In The United Kingdom

The Shard

Completed on July 6th 2012, the Shard is also known as London Bridge Tower. Shard London Bridge or the Shard of Glass located in Southwark, London is the tallest building in the UK with an architectural height of 1,016 feet. The tower features 95 stories, 72 habitable floors with an observation deck located on the 72nd floor at 802 feet which was opened on February 1st, 2013. Construction of the tower started in March of 2009 and was inaugurated on 6 July 2012. The Shard was designed by Renzo Piano an Italian architect and developed on behalf of LBQ Limited by Sellar Property Group. Stellar property together with the State of Qatar jointly owns the Shard. The tower is also the107th tallest building in the world, the fourth tallest building in Europe, and the United Kingdom's second tallest free standing structure after the Arqiva Emley Moor Tower.

One Canada Square

Located in Canary Wharf, London, One Canada Square simply known as Canary Wharf is a skyscraper and is the second tallest building in Europe with a height of 770 feet above ground level. The structure has 50 stories which are primarily used for office despite there being retailed units on the ground floor. Construction for One Canada Square began in 1988 and was completed in 1991 making it the tallest building in the United Kingdom until it was surpassed by the Shard following bits completion. The tower was designed by César Pelli, an Argentine American architect and developed by Olympia & York.

Heron Tower

The Heron Tower, a commercial skyscraper located on Bishopsgate, London is the third tallest building in the United Kingdom at a height of 755 feet which includes its mast which has a height of 92 feet. The structure features a 70,000 litre aquarium which is the largest privately owned in the UK, bars and restaurants.The tower's construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2011; initially, the tower was planned to stand at 591 feet. Heron Tower was designed by the architectural firm of Kohn Pederson Fox Associates and is owned by Heron International.

Leadenhall Building

With a height of 737 feet the Leadenhall Building also known as 122 Leadenhall Street is the fourth tallest building in the United Kingdom located on Leadenhall Street, London. Construction of the Leadenhall building was completed in June 2013 while its official opening was a year later in July 2014. The commercial skyscraper which features 48 floors was designed by the British architectural firm of Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners, developed by British Land and Oxford Properties.

An Overview Of The Tallest Buildings In The United Kingdom

At present, of the 15 tallest buildings in the UK with a height of more than 500 feet most are located in London. London is generally at the same level with Paris and by 2016 London had 18 Skyscrapers that reached 492 feet tall while Paris had 19 and Frankfurt had 15. However with constructions and redevelopments underway this list is set to change.