8 Bishopsgate Explained

8 Bishopsgate is a 51-storey, 204metre tall commercial skyscraper located in the City of London financial district. When it opened in 2023, it was the 11th-tallest building in London. Situated on the corner of Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street, it neighbours two taller skyscrapers, 122 Leadenhall Street and 22 Bishopsgate. It has a free viewing gallery on the 50th floor.

History

Previous building

The current skyscraper replaced 6–8 Bishopsgate,^[3] a 79m (259feet) tall office building that was the headquarters of Barings Bank up until the bank collapsed in 1995. Barings Bank had been based at 8 Bishopsgate since 1806, the building undergoing several expansions and refurbishments up until it was replaced by a high-rise. Designed by GMW Architects, construction started in 1977 and took four years. The building opened in 1981 and was in use until 2019.

Planning

The original contested scheme for 8 Bishopsgate was submitted in 2015.^[4] The skyscraper was designed to be 'visually striking', incorporating high-quality warm building materials such as wood and marble to welcome visitors inside.

The building was constructed as part of a wave of high-rise development in the Bishopsgate area, caused by growing demand for office space in the City of London.^[5]

Demolition work on the previous buildings began in mid-2018, with construction work beginning on the new building in 2019.^[6] The skyscraper opened in 2023,^[7] and includes a free viewing platform, The Look Out, located on the 50th floor.^{[8] [9]}

See also

• City of London landmarks
• List of tallest buildings and structures in London

Notes and References

1. News: Norman . Paul . 11 May 2022 . Mitsubishi and Stanhope Land Debut Tenant At Ultra Sustainable City Tower . subscription . 22 January 2023 . CoStar Group.
2. News: Lane . Barbara . 20 December 2022 . Arup announces four new Fellows . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230717124313/https://www.arup.com/news-and-events/arup-announces-four-new-fellows . 17 July 2023 . 22 January 2023 . Arup.
3. News: Rogers . Dave . In business with Stanhope's Laura Collins and Tony Wall . 22 January 2023 . . https://archive.today/20240224041220/https://www.building.co.uk/focus/in-business-with-stanhopes-laura-collins-and-tony-wall/5119532.article . 24 February 2024.
4. News: Dunton . Jim . Wilkinson Eyre gets go-ahead for supersized Bishopsgate tower . 22 January 2023 . . 4 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220122062033/https://www.bdonline.co.uk/wilkinson-eyre-gets-go-ahead-for-supersized-bishopsgate-tower/5089957.article . 22 January 2022.
5. Web site: 8 Bishopsgate . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231209175839/https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/8-bishopsgate/19424 . 9 December 2023 . 11 January 2023 . Skyscraper Center.
6. News: Prior . Grant . 22 March 2019 . Main construction work starts on 50-storey City tower . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531215537/https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/03/22/main-construction-work-starts-on-50-storey-city-tower/ . 31 May 2023 . 22 January 2023 . Construction Enquirer News.
7. Web site: Reynolds . Laura . 1 January 2023 . 23 Things To Look Forward To In London In 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230201062118/https://londonist.com/london/features/things-to-look-forward-to-in-london-in-2023 . 1 February 2023 . 22 January 2023 . Londonist.
8. Web site: Brown . Matt . Eight New Public Viewing Galleries Coming To The Square Mile . Londonist . 24 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231002011954/https://londonist.com/london/news/eight-new-public-viewing-galleries-coming-to-the-square-mile . 2 October 2023 . 11 April 2023 . live.
9. News: 25 August 2023 . 8 Bishopsgate: the new free London viewpoint . 29 February 2024 . Look Up London.