The Leadenhall Building: 2014 Winner

The SKYDB Awards recognize high-rise buildings that unite architectural quality with practical performance, and The Leadenhall Building in London was selected as the 2014 SKYDB Awards Winner.

The 224.5-meter office tower tapers toward the top to preserve protected views of St Paul's Cathedral. Its steel megaframe is placed on the perimeter and left visible, allowing the office floors to remain largely free of internal columns. Lifts and building services occupy a separate glazed core on the north side, where their movement becomes part of the elevation.

At street level, the tower is raised above a tall public galleria that opens the confined site to pedestrians. Extensive off-site fabrication reduced the amount of work and storage required in the surrounding financial district. The award recognizes a building whose construction method and visible structural frame answer the constraints of its site.

Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners