Rising next to historic Leadenhall Market, and the site of the ancient Roman Forum, One Leadenhall is a striking office tower devised to enhance a busy London streetscape. The building is designed – by Make Architects – to complement the heritage of the area, which is home to numerous listed structures, including medieval churches and the iconic Lloyd’s building.
The new structure’s four-storey masonry base reflects the scale, proportion, and materiality of the surrounding architecture. This “street block” is topped with an open terrace that is accessible to the public. Above, the 35-storey tower is envisioned as trio of blades – three joined volumes of staggered heights that respond to the cluster of high-rises to the north and the lower buildings that sit to the south.
In addition to bringing 40,000 square metres of new office space to the area, One Leadenhall upgrades the pedestrian experience with a public terrace and ground floor retail along both Whittington Avenue and Gracechurch Street. A colonnade wraps from the Gracechurch elevation around onto Leadenhall, where the double-height main reception is accessed.
