Canary Wharf's second most-famous tower could be getting a radical new look.
£1 billion plans have been announced to knock huge chunks out of 8 Canada Square, commonly known as the HSBC Tower. The Norman Foster-designed skyscraper opened in 2002, becoming one of the first skyscrapers to join the pyramid-topped 1 Canada Square in what is now a dense cluster.
Now the curvy oblong is set for change. Anchor tenants HSBC are set to move out in 2027, to smaller premises near St Paul's. This presents an opportunity for the building's owners, the Qatar Investment Authority, to modernise the building which, by then, will be a quarter-century old.
Plans from US architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox show a complete reworking of the tower, the largest such scheme in the world. Most strikingly, huge chunks will be removed, Jenga-style, to present a series of roof terraces and balconies. The scheme would also see a playful remodelling of the base.
Up to now, the building has been a massive pile of bank. The reset would keep some office space but add in cultural space, leisure facilities, a large hotel and — a rarity in this part of town — a public viewing gallery, to be known as The Cloud.
The development would also include a new north-south route, which would speed up the walk between the Elizabeth line station and Canada Square Park.
The scheme has now been submitted for planning approval to Tower Hamlets Council. If approved, work could start shortly after HSBC's withdrawal, for completion around 2030.
The gargantuan planning application can be viewed here.
