Ms Rotterdam in the Norwegian fjords.
In pictures: Europe's tallest building, the Shard
The top of the Shard's spire
Copyright of SellarShow Thumbnails
2 of 8
The building is completely clad in glass, and when the sun shines on it, the Shard looks like a glowing beam of light shooting up from the ground. It has 95 floors and will house offices, residences and the new Shangri-La Hotel. Vertigo-sufferers will want to steer clear of The View - the UK's highest viewing galleries.
related stories on msn
218Comments
05/07/2012 13:49
05/07/2012 13:23
My son is a construction manager on the shard, he was also on the Heron building over the river, both projects employed thousands and will do for many years to come.
Are you listening ( Cameron and Osbourne ) Hiccup and Heartburn i call them.
This is what the building injdustry needs, huge jobs employing thousands on long term contracts.
Stop talking and start asking for the tenders to rebuid Britain and get people in meaningful jobs.
05/07/2012 13:58
Let's get knife crime, inner city poverty, racism, unemployment and a bit of compassion back in the UK BEFORE waste money on "architecture" Also an Olympic event that will cost all of us in taxes for the next god knows how many decades and be the most transient waste of money yet takes some beating too. Warfare is tops though.
05/07/2012 15:16
So people panicking about the 'global financial crisis', jobs cut, homes lost, families in dire straits, thieving scum quitting top jobs whilst millions of ill gotten booty is hidden in tax free accounts, property and tax haven investments. Hospitals are crumbling, no room for the sick, under paid over worked limited number of medical staff, schools, haven for hooligans, teachers giving up, over paid bigots dividing the community with PC crap but don't want to live next to any of the groups that they are supposedly taking care of!!!!!! The list goes on unfortunately. Then a group of financial whiz kids stump up the cash to build another 5 minute wonder. In 3 years time it will be half empty and useless because none of the poor people will be able to rent space or shop there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great views wooppee do lets hope the rain gives us a break when it's officially open. Nice that an Italian who doodled on a pad in France puts something in the UK how about all you rich brats put together and put some cash into an ailing medical centre, buy some equipment for a school, fund a programme for the elderly. The money spent on this building could fund an OAP home for a while!!!!!! About time we all got our priorities right and got back to basics. Being the best we can be with respect and manners. Please and thank you cost nothing. A smile and the gift of kindness cost nothing. We are all soooooooooooooooo greedy, selfish and uncaring time to wake up before we are buried under our own selfishness and hunger to push everyone over for greed and power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
05/07/2012 15:22
05/07/2012 20:03
05/07/2012 20:01
It really is a shame that so many people on this forum seem to be unable either to spell correctly, or to use the spell checker, yet they still commit their rants to the web.
The aerial rat that we see flying around is a PIGEON, NOT a PIDGEON, the moans we hear are people WHINING, not WHYNING, Dubai is spelt just like that.
Finally the money that Qatar paid (not payed) was over £1billion and we have not paid anything towards it, the owners pay to clean it up.
05/07/2012 15:47
05/07/2012 21:33
05/07/2012 14:35
05/07/2012 12:55
05/07/2012 14:28
05/07/2012 17:30
05/07/2012 15:03
05/07/2012 13:13
05/07/2012 20:37
Well, the metres mean absolutely nothing to me, because there are much taller structures.
However, this is design at its finest. As far as the aesthetics are concerned, I haven't come across another building to rival it. It simply is riveting and captivating.
It truly is artistic. What we're tired of are concrete blocks. This one, though, isn't just another block of concrete, instead it has a shape that incorporates angles, lines, and curves in interesting detail and in perfect artistic harmony. It also seems as if some of the sides wrap around the others. All of this makes it a rather varied and interesting structure, yet not baroque or garrish at all - it actually is sublime.
The mettalic glass, again, is an alluring finishing touch to it. It wouldn't have had the same impact without it.
As far as the height is concerned, you just need to be able to see across the city, which I'm sure one can easily do from it.
The lasers might be interesting for some time, unless all the buildings start using them and render their novelty into banality through abuse or else finally clutter the sky.
Most tourist have seen the old architecture. Besides, everybody wants variety. There is nothing wrong with dedicating an undeveloped or underdeveoped area to modern artistic/aesthetic buildings.
The cost at 450 million also isn't quite exorbitant or prohibitive.
Overall, it is a rather sublime addition to a city that might otherwise begin appearing a little rusty and not varied or modern to most.
05/07/2012 18:31
05/07/2012 17:03
For everyone going on about cost, this was paid for by the folk from Qatar!! To the few saying this is not the tallest building. Yes it is the Berlin tower and the Moscow Tower are Towers not buildings!! Yes this will be the tallest building for a short time becasue Moscow is building one which will be finshed by the end of the year & sh+t up about the royal family, you do something with your lives. Rant over.
05/07/2012 14:58
Report
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
More on msn Travel
We pick some of the most extraordinary marathon locations in the world.
England's gold-standard holiday accommodation and attractions.
Stuck for a present idea for the parents? A night on the British Pullman would hit the spot nicely.
TripAdvisor's Traveller's Choice Awards are revealed - just as the holiday season kicks off...
We take a look at 16 of the beaches that made the cut.
Berlin, Germany.
See our pick of the best gardens in England, Wales and Scotland.
French artist Romain Jacquet-Lagreze has captured Hong Kong's famous skyscrapers from the ground floor.
We talk to the adventurer about his new Australia show and whether it is just "a patch of Blighty on the other side of the world".
Whether you're heading there for the film festival or a weekend break, you'll be spoilt for choice.
Take a look at some of the furry and scaly contenders for the photo contest
