Wednesday 21 December 2011

Unique Examples of Commercial Property in London


London is at the centre of world commerce. To own or rent commercial property in London is to be part of the global business elite – some of the most respectable, stylish and successful organisations around.

That doesn’t stop some of these businesses choosing some weird and wonderful buildings as the locations for their commercial property in London. From famous landmarks to fantastically futuristic constructions, these examples of alien architecture are part of what makes London such an exciting and vibrant place to be.
Here’s just a few of the most uniquely unconventional examples of commercial property in London:

30 St Mary Axe – Otherwise known as ‘the Gherkin’, this curiously crafted construction stands proudly in the City of London – the capital’s premier financial district. Construction was completed in 2003, and the building stands at an impressive 180 metres.

The building was erected in place of the planned ‘Millenium Tower’, a massive building that would have dwarfed most commercial property in London – with a planned height of 386 metres. The Millenium Tower was eventually scrapped in favour of ‘the Gerkhin’ when two nearby airports complained that the gigantic building would disrupt flight paths.

Believe it or not, 30 St Mary Axe is not a spaceship. It is in fact one of the most sought after pieces of commercial property in London.

Container City I & II – Located in London’s docklands, the Container City projects are true to their name. They are constructed modularly from shipping containers, giving the whole complex the appearance of children’s building blocks – an eye-catching combination of bold colours and geometric shapes.

Although it looks rather unusual, the Container City developments contain fully-functional office spaces. The use of modular technology enabled Container City I to be completed in just five months during 2001.

The Container City developments are surely one of the weirdest examples of commercial property in London – but they’re also practical, stylish and environmentally friendly.

The Lloyds Building – Another oddity that makes its home in the City of London, the Lloyd’s Building has an intriguingly industrial appearance, lending it the nickname ‘the Inside-Out Building’. The interior is incredibly grand and spacious –because the water pipes and electrical power conduits are located on the outside of the building!
Amongst this futuristic architecture is, bizarrely, a plush, classically-inspired space known as the Adam Room. Designed by Robert Adam, the room was originally situated in Bowood house, in Wiltshire. This room was purchased in its entirety and installed in the building, providing a fantastic contrast to the post-modern peculiarities of the main building.

Home to the eponymous insurance institution, the Lloyd’s building is – despite its peculiarities – one of the most architecturally impressive examples of commercial property in London.

Commercial property in London isn’t all as strikingly unusual as the examples mentioned above, but one thing is for certain – locating your office space in London is a fantastic way to absorb some of London’s diverse atmosphere.

The UK’s capital is a city of many manifestations, and although the examples of commercial property in London mentioned above are definitely not the norm, they do capture some of London’s creative and forward-thinking spirit.

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