Heron Tower

Heron Tower is designed as a series of three-storey ‘villages’ comprising an open plan lower level, with two upper levels arranged around a three-storey high glazed atrium, bringing daylight deep into the plan. Tenants are invited to take a part of a single floor to a number of whole ‘villages’ with connections pre-planned and easily inserted.

In order to open up the maximum available floor-plate the architects positioned the building’s core to the southern edge of the site, also minimising heat gains. Each façade responds differently according to its aspect; the southern façade is most closed, the northern most open and an intermediate condition exists on the eastern and western faces.

Additional shading is provided to the southern façade with the integration of photovoltaic cells, which provide for around 2.5 percent of the building’s total energy requirement.

Public space includes a publicly accessible penthouse restaurant and a three-storey covered arcade along Bishopsgate, housing a café and shops. This arcade is scaled with reference to nearby St. Botolph’s Church, and links views of the ground floor atrium with a new garden space on Houndsditch Street.