100 Leadenhall Street is a new tower proposed for the Eastern Cluster, a high-rise district in the City of London. SOM designed the project to anticipate Leadenhall Street’s growing importance. The introduction of Crossrail, Europe’s largest infrastructure project, into nearby Liverpool Street Station reinforces the role of Leadenhall Street as an essential artery into the city. As part of the area’s transformation, 100 Leadenhall Street will mark a new gateway to London.
More than a landmark on the skyline, the tower is designed to respect the city’s historic and contemporary urban context. SOM’s integrated team of architects and engineers worked closely with city planners to design an elegant, tapered silhouette that preserves key London vistas.
The design also takes advantage of the opportunity to enhance the public realm. To create more activity at street level, the proposed redevelopment prioritizes the streetscape and harmonizes with neighboring buildings. New pedestrian routes will make the site more permeable, connecting Leadenhall Street with Bury Street and St. Mary Axe. A new public space next to St. Andrew Undershaft will reveal a view of the church’s eastern facade for the first time in decades.
The tower’s limestone elevations at its base reflect the character of Leadenhall Street, which is predominantly lined with stone buildings. Above the podium, the tower rises from a hexagonal plan and tapers to a four-sided crown at 56 stories. The design of the facade enriches the simple geometric forms of the building with a complex, three-dimensional pattern of interlocking diamonds. Gradual changes in light and shadow animate the textured facade of this elegant addition to the London skyline.
