Twelve years after the idea for this remarkable building was first mooted for London, The Shard celebrated its opening last night with a laser light show some called spectacular but left others distinctly underwhelmed. You can judge for yourself from the pictures here.
Despite the constant drizzle on the night Londoners were not put off attending the spectacle and came along in their thousands - among them one with a distinctly offbeat sense of humor. Do you know, he may have a point...
The Shard dominates the city’s skyline and is by far the tallest building in London (and the European Union), reaching up a staggering 1017 feet. For many of the builders involved in the final touches of the spire – constructed of steel and glass – everyday work involved being exposed to the chilly London weather over a thousand feet above the ground. One can only imagine the triple checking of safety harnesses before they ventured out!
Spare a thought for the window cleaners. That job will still have to be done by hand. Temperatures are a few degrees lower at that height and the winds are often so strong it is thought that cleaning work will have to be suspended for hours at a time.
The 72nd floor is home to an observation deck which will afford visitors views of London which until now have only been experienced by those literally in the air – for helicopter or plane passengers. Bookings have now started and the price of almost £100 for a family of four does not seem to have deterred people. On its first morning, the website crashed due to the huge numbers wanting to be among the first to view the sights of London from The Shard’s dizzying heights.
So, judge for yourself whether the celebration was as spectacular as mooted or whether London’s residents and visitors were let down by lackluster lights…
