Editor’s Note: This is the final entry in the Great London Buildings series of articles. We now have 100 articles in the collection. Now, it’s time to collate them in a special little book. Stay tuned!
The Leadenhall Building at 122 Leadenhall Street, affectionately known as “The Cheese Grater” due to its distinctive wedge-shaped profile, represents a significant milestone in London’s contemporary architectural landscape. Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), the 48-story skyscraper was completed in 2014 and stands at 225 meters (738 feet) tall.
The site’s architectural history extends well before the current building. The previous structure at 122 Leadenhall Street was a 1969 building designed by Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership. That building, a 14-story office block with a modernist design typical of its era, was deemed outdated by the early 2000s. In 2007, British Land received approval to demolish the existing structure and replace it with the current tower.
The Cheese Grater’s distinctive design wasn’t merely an aesthetic choice. The building’s sloping facade was carefully calculated to preserve protected views of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street and other vantage points across London. This consideration exemplifies how modern London architecture must navigate the city’s protected viewing corridors, which have significantly influenced the shape and form of many contemporary buildings in the Square Mile.
The structural engineering of the building, developed in collaboration with Arup, is particularly innovative. Unlike conventional skyscrapers that typically have a central core, The Cheese Grater features an external mega-frame that provides stability while maximizing internal floor space. This external structure is clearly visible and becomes part of the building’s architectural expression, following the tradition of British high-tech architecture that Richard Rogers helped pioneer.
The building’s northern facade slopes back at an angle of 10 degrees, creating its distinctive wedge shape. This inclined facade is complemented by a glazed cutaway feature that runs up the building’s southern face, revealing the bright yellow steel bracings and glass elevators. These elevators, visible from the street, create a dynamic element as they move up and down the building’s face, turning the typically mundane function of vertical transportation into a kinetic architectural feature.
At ground level, the architects created a dramatic 28-meter-high (92-foot) public space. This covered galleria extends the public realm of the street into the building, creating a sheltered area that serves as both a gathering space and a transition zone between the city and the building. This public space was a crucial element in gaining planning permission, as it demonstrated a commitment to contributing positively to the urban fabric.
The building’s environmental credentials were also groundbreaking for its time. The external mega-frame provides natural shading, while the triple-layer glass facade incorporates solar control. The building achieved a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) “Excellent” rating, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.
Construction of The Cheese Grater was notable for its extensive use of prefabrication. Around 80% of the building components were manufactured off-site and assembled in position, reducing construction time and improving quality control. The construction process itself became a carefully choreographed operation, with massive components being lifted into place with precision.
The building’s floor plates vary in size, getting larger towards the bottom where office space is most valuable. This variation in floor plate size not only creates the distinctive wedge shape but also provides practical benefits, offering different sized spaces to accommodate various tenant requirements. The largest floor plates are approximately 43,000 square feet, while the smallest are about 21,000 square feet.
The Cheese Grater has become an integral part of London’s cluster of modern skyscrapers in the City, standing alongside other nicknamed buildings such as The Gherkin and The Walkie-Talkie. Its completion marked a significant moment in London’s architectural evolution, demonstrating how contemporary design can respond to complex urban constraints while creating striking and functional architecture.
The building’s influence extends beyond its immediate context. It has helped establish new paradigms for how tall buildings can respond to historic viewing corridors while still achieving significant height and floor space. The success of its public realm strategy has influenced subsequent developments in the City of London, with many new proposals now incorporating significant public spaces at ground level.