.
Eight sloping glass facades, the “shards”, define the shape and visual quality of the
tower, fragmenting the scale of the building and reflecting the light in unpredictable
ways. Opening vents in the gaps or “fractures” between the shards, provide natural
ventilation to winter gardens.
The extra-white glass used on the Shard gives the tower a lightness and a sensitivity
to the changing sky around it, the Shard’s colour and mood are constantly changing.
It required a particular technical solution to ensure the facade’s performance in terms
of controlling light and heat. A double-skin, naturally ventilated facade with internal
blinds that respond automatically to changes in light levels was developed. The logic is
very simple: external blinds are very effective in keeping solar gain out of a building,
but unprotected external blinds are not appropriate for a tall building, hence the extra
layer of glass facade on the outside.
As part of the project, a section of London Bridge Station’s concourse was also redeveloped
and the London Bridge Tower has been the stimulus for much of the regeneration
of the surrounding area, now known as the London Bridge quarter.