St George Wharf Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George Wharf Tower |
|
|---|---|
St George Wharf Tower in 2013
|
|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Location | London, SW8 |
| Coordinates | 51°29′6″N 0°7′38″W / 51.48500°N 0.12722°W |
| Construction started | March 2010 |
| Completed | January 2014 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 181 metres (594 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 52 |
| Floor area | 30,342 m2 (326,600 sq ft),223 flats |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Broadway Malyan |
| Structural engineer | WYG, Robert Bird Group |
| Main contractor | Brookfield Multiplex |
The St George Wharf Tower, also known as the Vauxhall Tower, is a very tall residential building in Vauxhall, London. It is part of a bigger building project called St George Wharf.
Standing at 181 metres (594 ft) (about 594 feet) tall, this tower has 50 floors. It is one of the tallest buildings in London. It is also the tallest building in the United Kingdom where people live.
While the tower was being built in 2013, a helicopter hit a crane on top of it. The helicopter then crashed to the ground, and two people sadly died.
Contents
Cool Design Features
The way the tower's floors are shaped is like a Catherine wheel. This means the building is round, and the walls inside spread out from the center. Each floor usually has five apartments.
Some apartments have "sky gardens." These are like outdoor spaces that stick out from the building's round shape. They make the tower look interesting and show off its height.
The building has three main parts. The bottom part has shared areas for residents. These include a lobby, a business lounge, a gym, a spa, and a swimming pool. The middle part holds most of the apartments. The top part gets narrower, creating terraces with amazing 360-degree views.
Green Power for the Tower
At the very top of the tower, there is a wind turbine. This turbine was made by a British company called Matilda's Planet. It helps power the lights in the tower's common areas. It works quietly and doesn't cause much vibration.
The tower also uses water from the London Aquifer, which is a natural underground water source. In winter, special technology takes warmth from this water to heat the apartments. Because of these smart designs, the tower uses much less energy than similar buildings. It also produces less carbon dioxide, which is good for the environment.
The windows are triple-glazed, meaning they have three layers of glass. This helps keep the heat inside during winter and keeps the heat out during summer. There are also special blinds between the glass layers to block direct sunlight.
Some of the fancy apartments at the top have their own special stairs. One of these apartments has a swimming pool, which is the highest one in London!
How the Tower Was Approved
Building such a tall tower in London needed a lot of planning and approvals. The government's architectural group, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, gave advice.
After a few tries, the tower was finally approved in 2005. This decision was made by the Deputy Prime Minister at the time.
Building the Tower
Construction of the St George Wharf Tower began in March 2010. By October 2011, the main concrete structure had reached 22 floors high. The glass walls started to be put up in September 2011.
By March 2012, the core of the building was taller than the 44th floor. In October 2012, the steel structure and the core reached their full height. The wind turbine was then installed at the top. The glass was added to the rest of the tower shortly after. The building was completed in January 2014.
-
Area before construction in September 2009 -
November 2011 -
February 2012 -
May 2012 -
September 2012 -
February 2016
Helicopter Crash
On January 16, 2013, a sad accident happened near the tower. Around 8 a.m., an AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter hit a construction crane attached to the building. The helicopter then crashed onto Wandsworth Road below. It hit two cars and caused two nearby buildings to catch fire.
Two people died in the crash. One was the pilot, who was flying alone. The other was a person walking nearby. The crane was badly damaged, but its operator was not in the cab at the time.
Carbuncle Cup Nomination
In August 2014, the St George Wharf Tower was nominated for the Building Design Carbuncle Cup. This award is given to the "ugliest" new building in the United Kingdom each year.
The tower was a runner-up for the award that year.
Who Owns the Flats?
The St George Wharf Tower has many apartments where people live. Most of these apartments are owned by different individuals or families.
See also
In Spanish: St George Wharf Tower para niños
