London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has rejected plans to build the 300-metre skyscraper “the Tulip”, stating it would harm the skyline
The Tulip was designed by Foster + Partners and would have been the second tallest in Europe. However, Sadiq Khan believes its design is lacking for such a prominent location.
In April, the City of London Corporation (CLC) backed the Tulip tower proposals, to the site alongside the Gherkin tower.
Despite this, Khan said a number of worries raised in a London Review Panel report also meant the tower would harm the skyline.
The London Review Panel concluded The Tulip “does not represent world-class architecture, it lacks sufficient quality and quantity of public open space, and its social and environmental sustainability do not match the ambition of its height and impact on London’s skyline“.
Khan’s spokesman, said: “The mayor has a number of serious concerns with this application and having studied it in detail has refused permission for a scheme that he believes would result in very limited public benefit.
“In particular, he believes that the design is of insufficient quality for such a prominent location and that the tower would result in harm to London’s skyline and impact views of the nearby Tower of London world heritage site. The proposals would also result in an unwelcoming, poorly designed public space at street level.”
“The proposals would also result in an unwelcoming, poorly-designed public space at street level.”
Prior to Khan’s comments, Historic England chief executive Duncan Wilson, said: “This building – a lift shaft with a bulge on top – would damage the very thing its developers claim they will deliver – tourism and views of London’s extraordinary heritage.
“The setting of the Tower of London, a symbol of the city not just to millions of Londoners but to the whole world and one of our most visited places, will be harmed.
“It has already been damaged by the Walkie Talkie and it would be a great shame if that mistake was repeated.”
Good. Mayor Khan has done something positive for once. The design is absolutely of low quality and lacks beauty or aesthetic merit. The description of it being ‘a lift shaft with a bulge on top’ is entirely accurate.