A brand new skyscraper in London’s Docklands is set to be the tallest residential tower in the UK and Western Europe when it’s completed in 2020, standing at 771ft (235m) tall.
Spire London, designed by architectural practice HOK, will be situated beside some of London’s tallest high-rises in Canary Wharf, providing over 800 apartments for the area, with hotel-style concierge service and numerous amenities including a gym, spa, cinema and bar, all with panoramic views of the city skyline.
The £800 million tower’s design was inspired by the Dock’s nautical history, when the East India Docks were busy with trade from around the world, and also drew on the orchid flower. Cultivated in China for over 3,000 years, three orchid petals were incorporated into the design of the building’s roof, creating faceted glass facades and nautical-style prow and bow shapes.
Spire London’s angled roof also created outside terraces for and feature louvres allow for natural ventilation throughout the tower. At the building’s base, a paved plaza, landscaped gardens, a dancing fountain and sculptural benches will transform the site.
The building’s lifts have also had careful consideration; Spire London will offer residents nine lifts, unlike the more orthodox five, with a maximum waiting time of just 35 seconds as each passenger car travels up the building at over six metres per second.
You can find out more about Spire London here.