Drapers Gardens, London

Drapers Gardens occupies a prime location approximately 200 metres north of the Bank of England at the centre of the City’s financial district. The ‘old’ Drapers Gardens skyscraper, which was completed in 1967, stood at 100 meters tall had 30 stories and was cantilevered at the second floor to allow it to be built over other buildings. When demolished, at the time, it was the tallest building to be demolished in Britain. It was designed by Richard Seifert also the architect of the ‘Tower 42’, the oldest significant (also cantilevered) structure in the city containing Lytag® lightweight aggregate concrete. Seifert described the Drapers Gardens' skyscraper as his proudest achievement. In December 1968, the Concrete Quarterly described the tower as "...one of the best towers that post-war London has seen”.

The ‘replacement’ Drapers Gardens designed by Foggo Associates with its distinctive architecture and full height glazing will be a 74m three-part structure with 16 floors. The three striking roof terraces at different levels will contain recreational garden and seating areas. There will also be a pocket park. At 270,000 square feet the structure will have more floor space than the one it replaces.

It includes metal deck composite floor slabs constructed using Lytag® lightweight aggregate concrete. The height reduction together with the roof gardens has been received well and the building has been designed to achieve an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating.