TIMELINE : HIGH - TECH ARCHITECTURE

BUILDING : THE GHERKIN

ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER

NIKITA .SAHUJI
309121
T.Y.ARCH
CONTEMPORARY ARCH.
J.N.E.C
 WHAT IS HIGH – TECH ARCHITECTURE ?

 STRUCTURAL EXPRESSIONISM EMERGED BY 1980’s.

 CELEBRATES DISPLAY OF BUILDING SERVICES.

 EXTENSIVE USE OF GLASS AND STEEL

 FLEXIBLE INTERIORS

 USE OF COLOURS TO INDICATE DIFFERENT SERVICES

THE GHERKIN
 LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIAL

 GLASS SKINS

 PIONEERS : NORMAN FOSTER, RICHARD ROGGERS, I.M.PIE, etc.

ABOUT PROJECT:
BUILDING : 30 ST.MARY AXE,LONDON, U.K

STYLE : HIGH TECH ARCHITECTURE ,

NEO FUTURISM

FUNCTION : OFFICE SKYSCRAPERS

OWNER : SAFRA GROUP

ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER

CONSTRUCTION : 2001-2004

THE GHERKIN
HEIGHT : 180M (591ft)

FLOORS : 41

AREA : 47,950sq.m
ABOUT PROJECT:
 30 ST. MARY AXE IS KNOWN AS ‘ THE
GHERKIN ‘ BECAUSE THE PLANS LOOK LIKE
GHERKIN IE: THE SLICE OF CUCUMBUR.

 IT IS LONDONS FIRST ECOLOGICAL GREEN

SKYSCRAPER.

 IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BUILDING IN

LONDON.

 IT WAS HONOURED WITH THE AWARD OF

BEST BUILT PROJECT IN 2006.

THE GHERKIN
PRELIMNARY DESIGN IDEA:

 Breaking the hierarchy of solid

rectangular boxes in the vicinity.

 Offers minimal resistance to wind,

improving the environment for people on
the ground and reducing the load on the

THE GHERKIN
building.
 The slim base reduces the reflections
and increase daylight penetration.

 The bullet shaped building responds

to specific demands of small site
area.
SITE PLAN WITH GROUND FLOOR :

THE GHERKIN
N
GROUND PLAN :

THE GHERKIN
N
FLOOR PLANS :
 5- Offices
 6- Light well
6
 7- Private Dinning
1 2 3  8- Lift and
staircase
6
5

1st FLOOR PLAN 6th FLOOR PLAN

THE GHERKIN
8 4
 1 - Entrance 7
 2 - Lobby 5
 3 - Retail 6
N
 4 - Core
40th FLOOR PLAN 21st FLOOR PLAN
FLOOR PLANS :
5 deg. TILT IN EACH FLOOR PLAN

40th FLOOR PLAN 39th FLOOR PLAN 33rd FLOOR PLAN

THE GHERKIN
N
21st FLOOR PLAN 6th FLOOR PLAN 1st FLOOR PLAN
SERVICE FLOOR:

THE GHERKIN
PLAN

NOTE : THE DEMARKATION OF SERVICE FLOOR IS IN

RED COLOUR IN SECTION. SECTION
 THE GHERKIN
SECTIONS :
SUSTAINABILITY AND VENTILTION:

Differing air pressures and double skin façade allow natural ventilation.

THE GHERKIN
Six spiralling light wells allow daylight.

Windows are computer controlled and they open only when

temperature is between 20-26 deg. And wind speed is less than 10mph
CIRCULATION:

 Each of the two main stairwells contain 1037 stairs.

 It has 23 lifts out of which 18 are passenger lifts.

THE GHERKIN
 It has well designed corridors with an professional ambience created by
use of lightings and interiors.

 Two special shuttle elevators serve the top floors of the building.
FOUNDATION :
 No.of piles : 333

 Length of pile : 9km

 Dia of pile : 750mm

 Because of site restrictions and in

order to create a monolithic
foundation, all the piles were
poured in one day.

THE GHERKIN
GENERAL STRUCTURE :

 The structure is based on primary elements

THE GHERKIN
1. DIAGRID
2. CORE
 Diagrid is the main structure resisting horizontal and gravitional
loads.
 The core resists the gravitional loads.
DIAGRID :
Aluminium coated tube steel.

Series of two stories high.

One full diamond is four stories

tall.

Diagrid is a series of triangle

that combine the gravity and
lateral support into one.

It makes the building stiff,

THE GHERKIN
efficient and lighter than
traditional high rise buildings

It was later on adopted in many

other buildings.
 THE GHERKIN
THE CORE :
CONNECTIONS :

A special connector transfers the loads

THE GHERKIN
at NODES which are rigid ,monolithic
and welded properly.
The core has the rigid connections of
steel beams and columns
The diagrid has the rigid node
connections at intersecting members.
CONCLUSION :

THE BUILDING ALLOWS TO INVESTIGATE HOW A CITY DEVELOPS

AND CHANGES OVER A TIME.

IT IS GREAT EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

SURROUBDED BY MEDIEVAL CITY.

THE EXCELLENTLY EMPHASISED STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE

BUILDING MAKES IT STAND OUT IN THE VICINITY

THE GHERKIN
THE ARCHITECT MADE A GREAT EFFORT TO MAKE THE
AMALGAMATION OF ARCHITECTURE , CLIMATE AND STRUCTURE.
MATERIALS :
35km of steel, 10000 tons are used.

24000 sq.m of glass is used on façade.

Recyclable and recycled material was used

wherever possible.

The exterior cladding consists of 5500 flat

triangular , diamond shaped glass panels.

THE GHERKIN
THANK YOU