TIMELINE : HIGH - TECH ARCHITECTURE
BUILDING : THE GHERKIN
ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER
NIKITA .SAHUJI
309121
T.Y.ARCH
CONTEMPORARY ARCH.
J.N.E.C
WHAT IS HIGH – TECH ARCHITECTURE ?
STRUCTURAL EXPRESSIONISM EMERGED BY 1980’s.
CELEBRATES DISPLAY OF BUILDING SERVICES.
EXTENSIVE USE OF GLASS AND STEEL
FLEXIBLE INTERIORS
USE OF COLOURS TO INDICATE DIFFERENT SERVICES
THE GHERKIN
LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIAL
GLASS SKINS
PIONEERS : NORMAN FOSTER, RICHARD ROGGERS, I.M.PIE, etc.
ABOUT PROJECT:
BUILDING : 30 ST.MARY AXE,LONDON, U.K
STYLE : HIGH TECH ARCHITECTURE ,
NEO FUTURISM
FUNCTION : OFFICE SKYSCRAPERS
OWNER : SAFRA GROUP
ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER
CONSTRUCTION : 2001-2004
THE GHERKIN
HEIGHT : 180M (591ft)
FLOORS : 41
AREA : 47,950sq.m
ABOUT PROJECT:
30 ST. MARY AXE IS KNOWN AS ‘ THE
GHERKIN ‘ BECAUSE THE PLANS LOOK LIKE
GHERKIN IE: THE SLICE OF CUCUMBUR.
IT IS LONDONS FIRST ECOLOGICAL GREEN
SKYSCRAPER.
IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BUILDING IN
LONDON.
IT WAS HONOURED WITH THE AWARD OF
BEST BUILT PROJECT IN 2006.
THE GHERKIN
PRELIMNARY DESIGN IDEA:
Breaking the hierarchy of solid
rectangular boxes in the vicinity.
Offers minimal resistance to wind,
improving the environment for people on
the ground and reducing the load on the
THE GHERKIN
building.
The slim base reduces the reflections
and increase daylight penetration.
The bullet shaped building responds
to specific demands of small site
area.
SITE PLAN WITH GROUND FLOOR :
THE GHERKIN
N
GROUND PLAN :
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N
FLOOR PLANS :
5- Offices
6- Light well
6
7- Private Dinning
1 2 3 8- Lift and
staircase
6
5
1st FLOOR PLAN 6th FLOOR PLAN
THE GHERKIN
8 4
1 - Entrance 7
2 - Lobby 5
3 - Retail 6
N
4 - Core
40th FLOOR PLAN 21st FLOOR PLAN
FLOOR PLANS :
5 deg. TILT IN EACH FLOOR PLAN
40th FLOOR PLAN 39th FLOOR PLAN 33rd FLOOR PLAN
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N
21st FLOOR PLAN 6th FLOOR PLAN 1st FLOOR PLAN
SERVICE FLOOR:
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PLAN
NOTE : THE DEMARKATION OF SERVICE FLOOR IS IN
RED COLOUR IN SECTION. SECTION
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SECTIONS :
SUSTAINABILITY AND VENTILTION:
Differing air pressures and double skin façade allow natural ventilation.
THE GHERKIN
Six spiralling light wells allow daylight.
Windows are computer controlled and they open only when
temperature is between 20-26 deg. And wind speed is less than 10mph
CIRCULATION:
Each of the two main stairwells contain 1037 stairs.
It has 23 lifts out of which 18 are passenger lifts.
THE GHERKIN
It has well designed corridors with an professional ambience created by
use of lightings and interiors.
Two special shuttle elevators serve the top floors of the building.
FOUNDATION :
No.of piles : 333
Length of pile : 9km
Dia of pile : 750mm
Because of site restrictions and in
order to create a monolithic
foundation, all the piles were
poured in one day.
THE GHERKIN
GENERAL STRUCTURE :
The structure is based on primary elements
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1. DIAGRID
2. CORE
Diagrid is the main structure resisting horizontal and gravitional
loads.
The core resists the gravitional loads.
DIAGRID :
Aluminium coated tube steel.
Series of two stories high.
One full diamond is four stories
tall.
Diagrid is a series of triangle
that combine the gravity and
lateral support into one.
It makes the building stiff,
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efficient and lighter than
traditional high rise buildings
It was later on adopted in many
other buildings.
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THE CORE :
CONNECTIONS :
A special connector transfers the loads
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at NODES which are rigid ,monolithic
and welded properly.
The core has the rigid connections of
steel beams and columns
The diagrid has the rigid node
connections at intersecting members.
CONCLUSION :
THE BUILDING ALLOWS TO INVESTIGATE HOW A CITY DEVELOPS
AND CHANGES OVER A TIME.
IT IS GREAT EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
SURROUBDED BY MEDIEVAL CITY.
THE EXCELLENTLY EMPHASISED STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE
BUILDING MAKES IT STAND OUT IN THE VICINITY
THE GHERKIN
THE ARCHITECT MADE A GREAT EFFORT TO MAKE THE
AMALGAMATION OF ARCHITECTURE , CLIMATE AND STRUCTURE.
MATERIALS :
35km of steel, 10000 tons are used.
24000 sq.m of glass is used on façade.
Recyclable and recycled material was used
wherever possible.
The exterior cladding consists of 5500 flat
triangular , diamond shaped glass panels.
THE GHERKIN
THANK YOU
