The Shard Tower in London

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Some nice blue sky and clouds reflected on The Shard today

 

[RoyReed]

I'm still amazed by the window cleaning.


Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr


Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr

 

[bi0boy]

Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.

 

[cesare]

Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.

Yep

 

[paolo]

Visitors to London keep asking me when it's going to be finished, and act somewhat surprised when I say that, externally, it is finished.

The way the top ends does give that impression. I'd expected it to be 'splintery' at the top, but there's something odd about it.

 

[cesare]

The way the top ends does give that impression. I'd expected it to be 'splintery' at the top, but there's something odd about it.

I keep trying to (unsuccessfully) convince myself that it's *meant* to be shard-like at the tip, but I can see why it just looks unfinished.

 

[Spymaster]

I keep trying to (unsuccessfully) convince myself that it's *meant* to be shard-like at the tip, but I can see why it just looks unfinished.

Yep. It should come to a neat point, imo. It looks like the top sections still need to be brought together. Annoys me every time I see it .... which is about 5 times a day.

 

[cesare]

Yep. It should come to a neat point, imo. It looks like the top sections still need to be brought together. Annoys me every time I see it .... which is about 5 times a day.

Or even a few neat points at different heights. On reflection (lol) I think it might be the sight of the infrastructure (if that's the right word) that makes it look as though they ran out of money and thought, "fuck it, it's meant to be a shard, leave it like that".

 

[Maggot]

I'm still amazed by the window cleaning.


Window Cleaning the Shard by RoyReed, on Flickr

I'm amazed that it isn't done by machines. Is that due to it's unusual shape?

 

[paolo]

Or even a few neat points at different heights.

Yeah, that.

 

[blossie33]

I was in the Bermondsey area a couple of weeks ago and was surprised that the Shard appears smaller close to. Think it must be the perspective with it going up to a point.

 

[claphamboy]

I am still amazed they didn't go those few extra feet to make it the tallest free standing structure in the UK.

*unimpressed*

 

[story]

On a clear blue sunny day, the sky is reflected off the Shard so the building pretty much disappears against the sky.

 

[Brainaddict]

Re the top, your problem is that you expect architect's mock-ups to be honest and you're still longing for it to look like they claimed it would look

When of course the point of these renderings is to market the building, so you can expect the same level of honesty as from any advert

 

[bi0boy]

Looks like they consulted MC Escher for the top bit in that pic.

 

[bi0boy]

I am still amazed they didn't go those few extra feet to make it the tallest free standing structure in the UK.

*unimpressed*

I think if they'd done that all the planes landing at Heathrow would have crashed or something.

 

[bromley]

The gaps on the top right make it look unfinished IMO, any idea why, aesthetics?

 

[teuchter]

I think it was possibly a mistake to paint all the steelwork white, as it makes it very visible when really you want it to sink away and the glass to be the main thing you see.

Not just the bits that are visible near the top but all the framing that sits behind the glass...in certain lights it makes them look messy instead of the sleek glass planes they should be.

Also, if you stand below it and look directly up the edge of one of the "shards" the metal edging is not very straight.

 

[skyscraper101]

68th floor. A loo with a view.

(they could've at least put the seat down)

 

[Manter]

Plane came in on a clear day this week so you had an amazing view of London..... Emphasised how out of scale the shard is. It should have been at canary wharf....

 

[skyscraper101]

Ah that's better.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Ah that's better.

Saw that somewhere else

I couldn't even go in a one-way glass one so doubt I could use that

 

[skyscraper101]

I'd quite like it, oddly. But only during the day as I doubt anyone would see. I think I'd feel different at night if I knew I was all illuminated inside while hoards of sightseers were gawping up at the Shard.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'd quite like it, oddly. But only during the day as I doubt anyone would see. I think I'd feel different at night if I knew I was all illuminated inside while hoards of sightseers were gawping up at the Shard.

If it was at a different angle, I'd be worried pervs in the Gherkin would have their binoculars out, even though I know they're lower down and unlikely to see anything

 

[salem]

Ah that's better.

That seat looks a) really cheap and b) not straight.

Probably why they left it up in the first picture.

 

[Spymaster]

They are two different bogs.

 

[skyscraper101]

I bet that's not Andrex quilted with Aloe Vera either.

 

[handyman121]

Ah that's better.

So anyone with a pair of binoculars can see what is going on in the loo ! Are the lower floors the same ?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So anyone with a pair of binoculars can see what is going on in the loo ! Are the lower floors the same ?

Not if you're higher up than them and I'd imagine it's only the higher up ones that are totally exposed

 

[bromley]

I down own a pair of binoculars but have a good idea what's going on in the loo.