London’s buildings are too diverse to be characterized by any particular architectural style, being built over a long period of time. Famous recent buildings are the 1980s skyscraper Tower 42, the Lloyd’s building with services running along the outside of the structure, and the 2004 Swiss Re building, known as the “Gherkin”. London’s normally low-rise nature makes these skyscrapers and others such as One Canada Square and its neighbors at Canary Wharf and the BT Tower in Fitzrovia very noticeable from a distance. High-rise expansion is restricted at certain sites if it would obstruct protected views of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Nevertheless, there are strategies for more skyscrapers in central London, including the 72-story “Shard of Glass”, which will be one of the tallest buildings in Europe.
Older buildings are mostly brick built; most commonly the yellow London stock brick or a warm orange-red variety, often decorated with carvings and white plaster mouldings. Several grand houses and public buildings, such as the National Gallery, are constructed from Portland stone. Several areas of the city, particularly those just west of the centre, are characterized by white stucco or whitewashed buildings. A small number of structures pre-date the Great Fire of 1666, except for a few trace Roman remains, the Tower of London and a few scattered Tudor survivors in the City. Wren’s late 17th century churches and the financial places of the 18th and 19th century such as the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England, to the early 20th century Old Bailey and the 1960s Barbican Estate form part of the varied architectural heritage.
The abandoned, but soon to be rejuvenated, 1939 Battersea Power Station by the river in the south-west is a local landmark, while some railway termini are excellent examples of Victorian architecture, most notably St Pancras and Paddington. The density of London varies, with elevated employment density in the central area, high residential densities in inner London and lower densities in the suburbs. In the thick areas, most of the concentration is achieved with medium- and high-rise buildings. London’s skyscrapers such as “Gherkin”, Tower 42, the Broad gate Tower and One Canada Square are regularly found in the two financial districts, the City of London and Canary Wharf.
Other notable modern buildings include City Hall in Southward with its distinctive oval shape, and the British Library in Somers Town/Kings Cross. What was previously the Millennium Dome, located by the Thames to the east of Canary Wharf, is now used as an entertainment venue known as the O2. The Monument in the City of London gives views of the surrounding area while commemorating the Great Fire of London, which originated nearby. Marble Arch and Wellington Arch, at the north and south trimmings of Park Lane respectively, have royal connections, as do the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Nelson’s Column is a countrywide recognized monument in Trafalgar Square, one of the focal points of the centre.
The Russell Hotel in Russell Square, Bloomsbury, which dates from 1898, has one of the grandest exteriors of any London hotel, but it is rated as 4-star. The Guoman Tower Hotel (formerly Thistle) close to Tower Bridge is one of the largest hotels in London with over 800 rooms, and is regarded by some as one of the ugliest and most insensitively located brutalist buildings in the city. However others find its place by St Katharine Docks and the Tower of London as quite relaxing and scenic.
Don’t miss your chance to see these buildings while you’re in London. You can either ride a bus, a cab or even drive by yourself with rented car from the local car hire company for maximum flexibility to explore the city.
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