The Shard, London UK
There are many ways to photograph this special building, but I chose this composition in order to express its delicate slenderness and aspiring height.
Designed by Italian architect, Renzo Piano, The Shard is a 72-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London.
The architect was inspired by the railway lines next to the site, the London spires depicted by the 18th-century Venetian painter Canaletto, and the masts of sailing ships. Piano considered the slender, spire-like form of the tower a positive addition to the London skyline, recalling the church steeples featured in historic engravings of the city,
Of course, Piano's design met criticism from English Heritage, who claimed the building would be "a shard of glass through the heart of historic London", giving the building its name.... to the chagrin of these conservative critics. Piano knew that its presence would be far more delicate than opponents of the project alleged. Furthermore its expressive façades of angled glass panes intended to reflect sunlight and the sky above, such that the appearance of the building changes according to the weather and seasons.
The Shard is not simply an iconic building but represents an approach to expanding the urban landscape: offices, residences and public spaces alike are all taken skyward. [References: Wikipedia. Google, and The ShArd.]
The Shard, London UK
There are many ways to photograph this special building, but I chose this composition in order to express its delicate slenderness and aspiring height.
Designed by Italian architect, Renzo Piano, The Shard is a 72-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London.
The architect was inspired by the railway lines next to the site, the London spires depicted by the 18th-century Venetian painter Canaletto, and the masts of sailing ships. Piano considered the slender, spire-like form of the tower a positive addition to the London skyline, recalling the church steeples featured in historic engravings of the city,
Of course, Piano's design met criticism from English Heritage, who claimed the building would be "a shard of glass through the heart of historic London", giving the building its name.... to the chagrin of these conservative critics. Piano knew that its presence would be far more delicate than opponents of the project alleged. Furthermore its expressive façades of angled glass panes intended to reflect sunlight and the sky above, such that the appearance of the building changes according to the weather and seasons.
The Shard is not simply an iconic building but represents an approach to expanding the urban landscape: offices, residences and public spaces alike are all taken skyward. [References: Wikipedia. Google, and The ShArd.]