Eric Parry's Undershaft skyscraper could host Museum of London outpost
by Tom Anstey | 03 Jun 2016
The gallery would be the highest in all of London and the highest in Western Europe
The Museum of London is looking into the possibility of opening a viewing gallery at the top of London’s upcoming 1 Undershaft.
The towering skyscraper – which will be as tall as the neighbouring Shard if approved to open in 2022 – will be located in the heart of the capital's financial district. When Eric Parry Architects unveiled the plans in December 2015, the design envisioned large areas of public space at both the top and bottom of the skyscraper. It now appears the British Museum will occupy the space atop the tower, making it the capital’s highest viewing gallery.
According to BDOnline, the museum is in talks with Singaporean developer Aroland Holdings to create the public viewing gallery, which would also include a temporary exhibition area and two classrooms on the 73-storey building’s 71st and 72nd floors.
“There could be no better place to observe how the fabric of London has changed over two millennia while thinking about what this means for the city of today and tomorrow,” said Sharon Ament, Museum of London director.
A planning decision on 1 Undershaft is expected in Q3 2016. The designers aim to demolish the 28-storey St Helens building, which is currently located on the site, but will retain its basement. This will be transformed into a 1,800sqm (19,300sq ft) retail space featuring new restaurants, cafes, and shops.
If the plans are given the green light, it will take 18 months to demolish the existing tower and up to five years to build the new one.
The Museum of London is also planning a £70m (US$101.7m, €93.7m) move to Smithfield Market after getting plans greenlighted in January. Visitor figures at the Museum of London have more than doubled in recent years and continue to grow. The move is expected to create an additional 5,000sq ft (464.5sq m) of space, with the aim of reaching two million visitors per year.
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One Undershaft: City of London's tallest skyscraper will offer free public access to capital's skyline
The Museum of London is looking into the possibility of opening a viewing gallery at the top of London’s upcoming 1 Undershaft. The towering skyscraper – which will be as tall as the neighbouring Shard if approved to open in 2022 – will be located in the heart of the capital's financial district. When Eric Parry Architects unveiled the plans in December 2015, the design envisioned large areas of public
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
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