20 Fenchurch Street Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids 20 Fenchurch Street
20 Fenchurch Street nearing completion in 2014
General information
Status	Complete
Architectural style	Postmodern
Location	London, United Kingdom
Construction started	January 2009
Completed	April 2014
Height
Roof	160 m (525 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	34 (plus three-storey 'sky gardens')
Floor area	Offices: 668,926 square feet (62,100 m²)
Design and construction
Architect	Rafael Viñoly
Developer	Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group
Structural engineer	Halcrow Yolles
Main contractor	Canary Wharf Contractors

20 Fenchurch Street is a very tall building, also known as a skyscraper, in London, United Kingdom. It gets its name from its address on Fenchurch Street, which is in the old financial area called the City of London. People often call it The Walkie-Talkie because of its unique shape, which looks a bit like the old radio devices.

This building has 34 floors and stands about 160 meters (525 feet) tall. This makes it one of the tallest buildings in the City of London.

Design and Features
Building History
Who Works There?
Images for kids
See also

Design and Features

The building was designed by an architect named Rafael Viñoly. It cost more than £200 million to build. Its most noticeable feature is its top-heavy shape, which seems to get wider as it goes up.

At the very top of 20 Fenchurch Street, there's a special area called the 'Sky Garden'. This area includes a large viewing deck, a bar, and restaurants. These top three floors are open to everyone, so you can visit and enjoy amazing views of London.

Building History

When the idea for 20 Fenchurch Street was first suggested, it was planned to be even taller, almost 200 meters (656 feet). However, some people were worried about how such a tall, modern building would look next to famous old landmarks. These landmarks included St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.

Because of these concerns, the design was made shorter. Even after the height was reduced, some groups still worried about its impact on the historic area. A public discussion, called a public inquiry, was held to decide if the building could be built. In 2007, the decision was made to allow the building to go ahead.

The companies building it, Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group, first thought it would be finished in 2011. But due to some economic challenges around 2009, the completion date was changed to 2014.

Who Works There?

Many different companies have offices inside 20 Fenchurch Street. Most of them are in the finance and insurance industries. Some of the companies that work there include: