Construction work on Heron Tower is progressing meter-by-meter following the sinking of the 25m foundation piles. In parallel, the first facade elements are being attached to the high-rise in the City of London. The framework of the tower will be clad with some 185 metric tons of stainless steel panels manufactured by ThyssenKrupp Nirosta (Krefeld). More than 11,000sq/m of the lattice-like building facade will be covered in stainless steel. The developer attached particular importance to the absolute flatness of the panels. With a linen-texture finish, the stainless steel panels will provide a high-quality, low-maintenance facade cladding that is insensitive to dirt and extremely durable. The 1mm thick panels are 1.50m wide and cut to lengths of 3 to 5m depending on requirements. Partnering Nirosta on this project is the Cologne-based company Christian Pohl GmbH, which is responsible for further processing and delivering the panels. Heron Tower was designed by the renowned New York architects Kohn, Pedersen, Fox and features a stainless steel-clad lattice framework with large glazed areas. The high-rise is to be one of the world’s most advanced office buildings, providing optimized energy efficiency and a pleasant working environment for employees, including a 70,000 liter aquarium in the lobby area. On the top three floors there will be a public restaurant and bar. The 200m, 46-story building is being built at 110 Bishopsgate, where it will be served by 10 subway stations, and is scheduled to open in 2011.
