Arch2O.com

Arch2O.com - Architecture & Design Magazine
Bloomberg?s new European headquarters is respectful of its location in the heart of the City of London, close to the Bank of England, St. Paul?s Cathedral and the church of St. Stephen?s Walbrook. In its form, massing and materials, the new building is uniquely of their place and time ? a natural extension of the City that will endure and improve the surrounding public realm. It is a true exemple  of sustainable development, with a BREEAM Outstanding rating ? the highest design-stage score ever achieved by any major office development.
Courtesy of Foster + Partners – Photographs Nigel Young, Aaron Hargreaves
Occupying a full city block, the 3.2-acre site comprises two buildings united by bridges that span over a pedestrian arcade that reinstates Watling Street, an ancient Roman road that ran through the site. Bloomberg Arcade is now a key route for people moving around the City, with restaurants and cafes at ground level, set back behind an undulating fa̤ade under a covered colonnade. Three public plazas, located at each end of the arcade and in front of the building?s entrance, provide new civic spaces in the heart of the Square Mile. Courtesy of Foster + Partners РPhotographs Nigel Young, Aaron Hargreaves
Its striking façade is defined by a structural sandstone frame, with a series of large-scale bronze fins that shade the floor-to-ceiling glazing. The fins give the building a visual hierarchy and...