The Addition to the Spectacle

The Addition to the Spectacle

The Shard

London is a city built on its history and structural landmarks. It is famous for places such as Westminster Abbey, the Palace of Westminster, St. Paul’s Cathedral and now it claims one more building into its celebrated legacy.

The Shard is more than just a structure of London, the tower itself is a "testament to the 1%."

Standing over London the Shard redefines the skyline yet it was never even expected to be built. The area of London where the Shard was built can no longer be over looked like it was once before. Today it is the tallest building in the European Union. The location screams upward for attention and gains the importance that it needs to survive on the London landscape.

The building itself causes a lot of controversy over its construction. For starters the building is anticipated to bring in a surplus of people on the public transportation system and the residents of the area don’t believe that the tube and buses accommodating this surplus of commuters will be able to keep up. The next problem comes from the future repercussions of the building. If the result of the building increases property taxes, the surrounding businesses might not be able to keep up with the rising prices and the Shard inadvertently creates potential for the area to fail. The residents of the community are extremely concerned with this inevitable outcome.

On a personal level, I enjoyed the building. From the moment when I opened the door there was a sense of urgency to join this striking lifestyle, and I had a difficult time refusing the call. The presence of this building mirrored any skyscraper this world has yet to see. The professionalism of the hotel staff, the air even smelled of a five star hotel. The Shard alone is a wonderful addition to the skyline. However, more than one addition such as this will take away from the originality of the new Addition to the Spectacle. There is a limit to the amount of modern architecture that can be added to London before the city loses its authentic appeal to the world. London is a classic city, with traditional values and historic architecture. No one wants such unique qualities to disappear. These timeless qualities are the reason why first time visitors fall in love with the city.

The Shard has earned its right to stand alongside history. So long as it stands alone in its class of new structures and simply remains a testament to the 1%. The city of London will eventually learn to love the shard. But then again they have to, it doesn’t look like it is going anywhere anytime soon. 

                                 - C.L. London, England 782014