Willis Building (London)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about 51 Lime Street, a Skyscraper in London. For The Grade I Listed building in Ipswich, see Willis Building (Ipswich).

The Willis Building in London under construction.

The Willis Building at 51 Lime Street, is a skyscraper currently under construction in London's main financial district, the City of London.

It will stand opposite the famous Lloyd's building and will be 125m (410 ft) tall, with 29 stories. The building will contain 475,000 square feet (44,000 m²) of office floorspace, most of which has been pre-let to the Willis Group, a risk management and insurance company. When completed, it will become the 4th tallest building in the City after Tower 42, 30 St Mary Axe and CityPoint.

The core was topped out in July 2006 and the steelwork is expected to be finished in September. Cladding began in late July and is expected to be finished by the end of the year. The whole building will achieve "practical completion" by March 2007.

It is the first in a wave of major new towers planned for the area. The others include Bishopsgate Tower, 122 Leadenhall Street, Heron Tower, 100 Bishopsgate, 20 Fenchurch Street redevelopment, the Broadgate Tower and the Shard of Glass at London Bridge.

Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank. The Willis Building's core is clearly visible.

A view from the top of the tower, looking down on Bishopsgate. The cranes for the Broadgate Tower can be seen at the top of the image.

Looking north up Lime Street, the Willis building (still under construction) stands on the right facing the pipework of the Lloyd's building on the left, with 30 St Mary Axe in the background.