The Cheesegrater, the Walkie-Talkie and the Gherkin: Amazing aerial pictures show how London's skyline has changed over 18 spectacular months
By TARA BRADY
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From the wedge-shaped 'Cheesegrater' to the more solid-looking 'Walkie-Talkie', these spectacular photos taken from 2,400-feet above London show how skyscrapers have been springing up in the capital in the past 18-months.
Aerial photographer Jason Hawkes took the pictures while flying in a helicopter over the financial district of the capital.
Despite the rest of Britain being in the doldrums after the economic downturn, these photos show London is still climbing.
Boom town: London at dusk taken only a few weeks ago show how construction work has continued despite the economic downturn
What a difference 18-months makes: A view of all of the skyscrapers in the City of London which have been popping up recently
THE BIG CHEESE: THE MAKING OF THE LEADENHALL BUILDING
Designed by Richard Rogers and developed by British Land and Oxford Properties, the new Leadenhall Building will be 737ft tall with 48 floors when it is completed in 2014.
The planning application was submitted to the City of London Corporation in February 2004 and was approved in May 2005 but it did face face opposition.
The base will feature a 30m high atrium which will be open to the public.
Exterior glass lifts will be used on the building, similar to the neighbouring Lloyd's building designed by the same architect.
Once finished The Leadenhall Building, nicknamed the 'Cheesegrater' will tower more than 100m over its neighbour - the distinctive Lloyd's building.
Work started on the Cheesegrater in September, 2011 and is expected to be finished in the summer of 2014.
It will have external lifts and the slanting wedge-shaped design means the much-loved view from Fleet Street to St Paul's Cathedral will not be ruined as it would have been if it had been a normal bloc.
One of the most hotly anticipated buildings in London and one of the most controversial is the 'Walkie-Talkie' in Fenchurch Street.
The top heavy design makes the building's most distinctive feature possible - it will have a top floor 'sky garden' which will be open to the public.
Originally planned to be 40-metres taller, developers faced opposition from heritage groups who feared the view of St Paul's would be ruined.
The concrete core was recently topped out and the structural steelwork is now underway. Completion is expected in 2014.
The sky's the limit: Photograph of the City of London taken in August 2011 before the new construction work took place
A close-up shot of the Leadenhall Building, nicknamed the Cheesegrater due to its triangular shape. The building was designed by Richard Rogers
A view of the slowly growing Leadenhall Building situated in the heart of the City of London. Once completed the building will stand at an impressive 225 metres, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city
Due to its wedge shape, the Leadenhall Building has been given the nickname the Cheesegrater but it is hoped that this unusual design will have less impact on the protected view of St Paul's Cathedral
Mr Hawkes said: 'I started this project to capture the ever-changing face of London.
'London has changed a considerable amount over the years and new development plans continue to appear, with buildings materialising as if overnight.
'But the process for one building has not been so fast.
Another new development in the City of London is 20 Fenchurch Street. Due to be completed in 2014, the Walkie Talkie was designed by Rafael Vinoly
Designed by Rafael Vinoly, 20 Fenchurch Street will feature three-storeys of botanical gardens at the top of the building, making them London's highest public park.
'Despite starting in 2008, construction has been on hold for The Pinnacle since early 2012.
'However, almost every time I go up in the air over London there is something new to photograph.
'Each adjustment to the city is really fascinating.'
High-flying living: The rest of Britain may be in the doldrums but these pictures show how the capital city is still a boom-town
A view of London taken by aerial photographer Jason Hawkes took the pictures while flying in a helicopter over the financial district of the capital
A close up view of a new development in the City of London - 5 Broadgate. Developed by British Land and Blackstone, the building will become home to UBS when it is completed in 2016
Unique design: 20 Fenchurch Street, AKA the Walkie-Talkie, now looms over the City of London
A view of the skyline of the City of London at dusk. In the foreground you can see 20 Fenchurch Street, which is still under construction
A view of St George Wharf Tower, a residential skyscraper under construction in Vauxhall. When it is completed it will be 181 metres making it the tallest solely residential building in the UK
A view of some of the top floors of The Shard. Despite all the new developments, the Shard still stands tallest at 310 metres
Built-up: This image shows much of the development on Victoria Street including Cardinal Place and the new construction work at Victoria Circle
From 2,400-feet above the city these pictures show how London's skyscrapers have sprung up in just over 18-months
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2295728/How-The-Leadenhall-Building-Cheesegrater-come-tower-London.html#ixzz2O19daLXB
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