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Perched in the shadow of Tower Bridge is the old City Hall building. Referred once by Boris Johnson as a ‘glass gonad’, its rounded glassiness is just as integral a part of the London skyline as the Gherkin or the Walkie Talkie. But now 110 The Queen’s Walk, as the structure is officially known, is in for a massive makeover.
Yep, the building’s private landlord – St Martins Property Investments – says it is set to be transformed into a sustainable, multi-use venue. The company has called on Gensler architects and LDA Design landscape architects to ‘help improve the building’s environmental performance’, according to the Standard.
The upgrade will include replacing outdated glazing with a much better balance of sustainable materials, as well as space for new cafes, shops and restaurants on the ground floor. Plus, it looks like the plan includes exposing the building’s winding levels and creating balconies.
The building was purpose-designed to be the Mayor’s HQ (the Mayor has since moved to Royal Victoria Dock), with the distinctive glass exterior apparently implying political transparency. However, in 2020 it was revealed that the building cost the Greater London Authority a whopping £11.1 million to run, and the Mayor’s office announced a relocation soon after.
Now that a shake-up is on the cards, there’ll be some public exhibitions held consulting on the buildings’ new look on December 7 and 9 at Hay’s Galleria.
From the makeover of Richmond’s gorgeous art deco train station to this massive new neighbourhood being proposed in Earls Court, Time Out is your one-stop-shop for all the latest news about developments happening across London.
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