Inside The Cheesegrater: A Tour Of The Leadenhall Building

Dean Nicholas
By Dean Nicholas Last edited 129 months ago
Inside The Cheesegrater: A Tour Of The Leadenhall Building
The building from above (photo courtesy British Land)
The building from above (photo courtesy British Land)
The view from the 46th floor toward the West End
The view from the 46th floor toward the West End
Canary Wharf from the 46th floor
Canary Wharf from the 46th floor
An unusual view of the Shard
An unusual view of the Shard
Tower Bridge and Bermondsey
Tower Bridge and Bermondsey
Roof garden on the Willis building opposite
Roof garden on the Willis building opposite
The roof garden of the nearby 'Walkie Talkie' building
The roof garden of the nearby 'Walkie Talkie' building
The Heron tower, viewed through the Leadenhall Building's distinctive bright yellow megaframe
The Heron tower, viewed through the Leadenhall Building's distinctive bright yellow megaframe
Office space on the 31st floor
Office space on the 31st floor
The Gherkin, from the 31st floor
The Gherkin, from the 31st floor
At ground level. The area beneath the building is to be a seven-storey atrium, open to the public
At ground level. The area beneath the building is to be a seven-storey atrium, open to the public
The view from ground level, including the builder's hoist in which we ascended
The view from ground level, including the builder's hoist in which we ascended

A few days ago the Cheesegrater, aka the Leadenhall Building, reached its maximum height. Yesterday we were invited to take a tour around the building.

Though it won't open until the latter stages of 2014, the 225m skyscraper, the tallest in the Square Mile (discounting the Heron Tower's spire) is already a dominant profile on the skyline. While it's easy to dismiss the Cheesegrater's distinctive, tapering form as yet another exercise in architectural gimmickry, there's a strong rationale behind it: to protect the views of St Paul's Cathedral from Fleet Street. To this writer's eye the building's profile, and the combination of bold criss-cross steel lattice with the skeletal yellow 'mega frame' that rests behind it and the exposed bits of infrastructure that has long been Rogers' stock in trade, has resulted in one of the most graceful skyscrapers in recent years.

It's sited at an increasingly busy section of the Square Mile, with several much-loved buildings close by, not least the Lloyds Building across Leadenhall Street, also designed by Richard Rogers' firm some 30 years ago; the same principle architect, Graham Stirk, was the lead for both. That sense of being in a classy neighbourhood is amplified at our first stop on the 31st floor, which we ascend to via a rickety ride in the hoist. The Gherkin looks close enough to taste, and the Lloyds atrium is some way below us, while the workmen building the sky garden at nearby 20 Fenchurch Street can be seen.

Another ride up to the 46th floor and suddenly we're clear of almost every other building. Disconcertingly, we're at the same level as a helicopter that appears to be circling the Shard. The views of London are incredible, although an understandably wary security guard keeps us from getting too close to the edge for those vertiginous downward-looking shots.

Nestled within the few streets that house London's insurance firms, the Leadenhall Building has fared well in pre-lets: 51% has already been snapped up, most of it by Aon (best known to Brits as Manchester United's shirt sponsor), who are relocating their global HQ from Chicago, and by underwriting firm Amlin.

While the inhabitants may be of little interest to most Londoners, and the views we saw are unattainable to anyone not plying the insurance trade, the Cheesegrater does have one significant concession: the ground floor will consist of a capacious seven-storey atrium, open to the public although actually managed as yet another of London's multiplying privately owned 'public' spaces. Will it be enough for the 'scraper naysayers?

Here's a time-lapse video showing the construction of the tower. For further, and much better, analysis, read Olly Wainwright's excellent piece in the Guardian.

Many thanks to Ben Craig of FTI Consulting for arranging the visit.

See also:

Walkie Talkie: A visit to 20 Fenchurch Street

The Cheesegrater and Walkie-Talkie seen from around London

Last Updated 19 June 2013