{"id":200856,"date":"2025-10-15T03:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T03:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/200856\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T03:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T03:00:13","slug":"photos-show-deconstruction-of-foster-partners-city-hall-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/200856\/","title":{"rendered":"Photos show deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall building"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Thamesside building \u2013 sometimes described as the \u2018glass egg\u2019 \u2013 is undergoing a major refurbishment designed by Gensler<\/a>. This will fatten and straighten the structure to accommodate new non-municipal uses. Southwark Council approved the plans in December 2024.<\/p>\n

As the images below show, those walking over Tower Bridge or through Fosters\u2019 More London development this month can observe the former assembly building being deconstructed.<\/p>\n

When the AJ walked past on an early October evening, the fa\u00e7ade was coming off the eastern face of the building, allowing passers-by to see into its upper levels.<\/p>\n

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City Hall in April 2025, before demolition work begun<\/p>\n

The circular staircase had already been removed prior to demolition, the AJ understands.<\/p>\n

It is thought to be only the second time a Fosters building has been in any way demolished, the first being the troubled Harmon Hotel<\/a> in Las Vegas in 2015.<\/p>\n

One other Foster building, HSBC\u2019s 8 Canada Square<\/a> in Canary Wharf, is earmarked for a KPF-designed retrofit on a similar level to Gensler\u2019s work on City Hall. Coincidentally, both London projects were completed in the same year, 2002.<\/p>\n

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Deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall (8 October 2025)<\/p>\n

City Hall was refused listing on two occasions<\/a>, in 2022 and 2024, despite a campaign by the Twentieth Century Society. Explaining the move to the AJ last year, Historic England said while the building was symbolic of the millennium, it did not warrant listing because it was less than 30 years old.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the start of deconstruction works and the decision not to list City Hall statutory listing, Twentieth Century Society campaigns director Oli Marshall told the AJ: \u2018As we celebrate the silver jubilee for many of those ambitious and optimistic projects from the turn of the new millennium that have enriched the capital, to see \u2018London\u2019s Living Room\u2019 (as City Hall was originally billed) and a purpose-built home for our democracy now being demolished is a sorry sight.<\/p>\n

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Deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall (8 October 2025)<\/p>\n

\u2018Sadly, the building\u2019s signature helical walkway had already been cynically ripped out last year prior to a listing assessment taking place, and ultimately being rejected.<\/p>\n

\u2018Was it in the top tier of Foster\u2019s architecture, or equal to the new Reichstag, the building with which it shared a certain design language? Perhaps not. But surely City Hall deserved better than this?\u2019<\/p>\n

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Deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall (8 October 2025)<\/p>\n

Gensler\u2019s mixed-use office and retail scheme<\/a> for the Kuwaiti company St Martins Property will replace City Hall\u2019s original glass fa\u00e7ade \u2013 which Gensler described as \u2018over-complicated\u2019 \u2013\u00a0 with \u2018verdant\u2019 terraces. The ground floor, meanwhile, will be opened up to public uses, including caf\u00e9s, shops and restaurants.<\/p>\n

Gensler\u2019s aim is for the renovated building to be net zero carbon and \u2018at least\u2019 BREEAM Excellent.<\/p>\n

St Martins Property has said that a \u2018light\u2019 renovation of the building was not possible due to \u2018challenges built into its design\u2019, including defects and leaks in the building fabric, and floorplates that don\u2019t meet occupiers\u2019 changed standards.<\/p>\n

The developer had\u00a0previously said<\/a> the redesign would maximise the retention of the existing building\u2019s structure, materials, and character, including its \u2018circular footprint and sculpted form\u2019.<\/p>\n

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Deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall (8 October 2025)<\/p>\n

In a design and access statement, Gensler said its proposal \u2018reimagines the form of the building, maintaining the recognisable elements while correcting the issues which harm the ability to find an occupier for it\u2019. The practice said its design would allow the building to be used \u2018to its full potential\u2019.<\/p>\n

Fosters won the City Hall commission following a competition run by\u00a0private equity investor CIT.<\/p>\n

CIT partner Chris Richmond wrote on LinkedIn: \u2018At CIT, we have a special place in our hearts for the GLA Egg, having originally commissioned Fosters, won the GLA competition, delivered (on time and budget!) and owned the building. It sadly isn\u2019t really suitable for a non-municipal use, and the new plans are great.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Deconstruction of Foster + Partners\u2019 City Hall (8 October 2025)<\/p>\n

Similar thoughts were shared by Earls Court Development Company head Jamie Hodge, whoe wrote on LinkedIn:\u00a0\u2018Reflecting on my time working on the eighth floor of what was formerly London\u2019s City Hall back in 2008. While the building had its quirks (it got hot in those little offices!), it felt a privilege to be a part of such a significant landmark, even if its time as the home of the mayor and the London Assembly has passed.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m excited by the ongoing transformation of \u201c110 The Queen\u2019s Walk\u201d being undertaken by Gensler for St Martins Property. The new design is a clever solution, particularly the introduction of efficient office space, green balconies\/gardens, and a mixed-use ground floor offer with caf\u00e9s, shops and restaurants.\u2019<\/p>\n

Deconstruction work is expected to run until early 2026, when the site is due to be handed over to Mace.<\/p>\n

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Gensler\u2019s plans to transform London\u2019s former City Hall have been approved<\/p>\n

The GLA departed this part of the Thames in 2021 to save cash, upping sticks to the Docklands and WilkinsonEyre\u2019s Crystal building. Since then, the building has lain empty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Thamesside building \u2013 sometimes described as the \u2018glass egg\u2019 \u2013 is undergoing a major refurbishment designed by…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":200857,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-200856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200856\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}