Skyscrapping

I have always been amazed by huge buildings that force your head upwards in astonishment, but building high and tall has been a controversial issue, especially in the U.K.

This is the Renzo Piano's design for London Bridge Tower (dubbed by the press as 'The Shard') which is currently being constructed.

There does seem to be a culturally different attitude to tall buildings. In the U.S. the skyscrappers of Manhattan are home to the rich and famous with aspirations of owning a penthouse in the sky. Whereas in the U.K. the general norm seems to oppose building upwards, in addition tower blocks are often synonymous with poverty and poor social housing.

Renzo Piano came up against many critics when designing London Bridge Tower, but managed to create a design which was inspired by church spires and gently merging into the sky. When the design was nicknamed 'The Shard', it was reversed to became more endearing term; reflecting London's scenery.