London City Hall
London City Hall is a modern original building that is the seat of the Greater London Authority and is located in the historic center of the British capital, west of the famous Tower Bridge. Buildings for city administrations usually look official, but the London authorities decided to do things differently and got creative. The ten-story City Hall is erected in the traditions of postmodernism. It stands out among classical buildings with its curved shape and sloping glass facades. Externally, the building resembles a sliced egg. Some compare its shape to a symbolic globe, a knight’s visor or the sail of a futuristic ship.
Highlights
London’s City Hall rises to a height of 45 meters and has an interior area of 18,000 m². It houses the mayor’s office and offices for 25 members of the London Assembly. Inside are workplaces for 500 officials, meeting and conference rooms, reception and exhibition spaces, a public library and restaurants.
Architect Norman Foster surrounded the building with a half-kilometer-long gallery. He borrowed the idea from New York’s famous Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Climbing up a spiral staircase with transparent sides, one can see the workplaces of London officials.
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The top of the building is occupied by the “London Drawing Room”, an exhibition and meeting space that is sometimes opened to tourists. The mayor’s monthly press conferences and various corporate events are held here.
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The many large windows, as well as transparent and translucent interior walls, make the rooms of London’s City Hall very bright. Thanks to the special design of the facade and autonomous solar panels, City Hall does without air conditioning. Using innovative technologies and materials, the builders managed to erect a building that consumes 25% less electricity than standard office buildings of the same size.
.History of construction
Until 1986, the Greater London Council was housed in County Hall. This authority was then abolished and replaced by the Greater London Authority. County Hall was converted into a hotel, so the question of erecting a new building for the City Hall of London arose. After considering many options, the city authorities decided to build the new City Hall on the south side of the Thames, close to the historic Tower Bridge.
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The design was commissioned by the renowned firm Foster and Partners. The design, prepared by architects Norman Foster and Ken Shuttleworth, was ready in 1998. The construction work took 5 years and 65 million pounds sterling was spent. Construction was completed in 2002 and the opening of London Town Hall took place a year later.
.Visitor Information
London Town Hall is available to visitors Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 6pm, and on Fridays from 8.30am to 5.30pm. Exhibitions held here tend to focus on the history of the city and are free for tourists.
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Keep in mind that after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, security measures were tightened at City Hall. Now all people entering the building go through a metal detector frame and other scanning methods.
From the balcony of City Hall you have a great view of the river, Tower Bridge and another creation of the famous architect Norman Foster – the Mary Axe high-rise, which residents and tourists call “London’s cucumber.”
.How to get there
London City Hall is located on the south bank of the River Thames, within the London Borough of Southwark. It is easily accessible on foot from London Bridge subway station. In addition, the N47, 343, 381, N199, N381 and RV1 buses stop near the building.
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