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Work is finally underway to transform the empty London City Hall building into a leaf-lined shops and restaurants.<\/p>\n
The former Mayor\u2019s office, dubbed by ex-mayor Ken Livingstone as the \u2018glass testicle\u2019 will also have it\u2019s lift shaft renovated.<\/p>\n
The deconstruction\u00a0work<\/a>\u00a0on the building on the banks of the River Thames is expected to run until early 2026. So far, the glass panes and 500 meter staircase have been removed.<\/p>\n The building must grow to fit retail at the base level and the straightening of the exterior is necessary to create terraces for greenery.<\/p>\n The material treatment of the lift\u00a0shaft has been revised by extending blue-green enamelled finishes over its full height.<\/p>\n Designers say this allows it to \u2018integrate more harmoniously with the overall architecture of the scheme\u2019.<\/p>\n They added new plans contained a \u2018significant 27% reduction in steel usage\u2019 compared to the earlier version of the scheme saving 812 tonnes of CO2 emissions.<\/p>\n Queen Elizabeth<\/a>\u00a0opened the showpiece headquarters designed by Lord Foster in 2002.<\/p>\n But in 2020, Sir\u00a0Sadiq Khan<\/a>\u00a0decided to move the London Assembly to the Royal Victoria Dock in Newham in an attempt to save costs and increase regeneration.<\/p>\n Figured obtained by The Standard in 2012 revealed cleaning<\/a>\u00a0the 3,000 glass panes racked up a whopping bill of \u00a3140,000 a year.<\/p>\n A chamber where assembly members would question mayor and officials about policy and budget was the focal point of the building.<\/p>\n It featured a 500 meter spiral staircase which is already gone.<\/p>\n Brian Coleman who was a Conservative on the\u00a0London<\/a>\u00a0Assembly when city hall opened told\u00a0ITV<\/a>\u00a0News:\u2019It\u2019s cultural vandalism of the worst sort.<\/p>\n \u2018This was built as city hall, seat of London governance. Instead Sadiq moved the assembly and the mayor down to some warehouse down river in Newham \u2013 it\u2019s outrageous.\u2019<\/p>\n The building has been renamed 110 the Queen\u2019s Walk and will feature urban greenery, shops, restaurants and some interest in space for cultural exhibitions.<\/p>\n However, at the public exhibition of the plans, there was one visitor from South-West London who was negative about \u2018lots of pot plants\u2019, the expense and whether the changes were necessary.<\/p>\n There were other concerns about the trees potentially blocking the view.<\/p>\n The Londonist has even suggested its new nickname to be the \u2018mossed ribcage.\u2019<\/p>\n Former Green party London Assembly member said to ITV News: \u2018I think initially it looks absolutely amazing because you really don\u2019t want a derelict building right on the banks of the Thames.<\/p>\n \u2018I think on the whole better to use it than leave it empty.\u2019<\/p>\n The new architects, Gensler, said the redesign will be \u2018anchored around principles of reuse, material circularity, passive design, biodiversity and inclusivity.\u2019<\/p>\n Ben McKnight, who used to work in the building, commented on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0saying: \u2018I worked there until 2016. Whatever people think, having lost County Hall, it brought a visibility and prominence to the GLA.<\/p>\n \u2018Now we see it move from public service to private economic imperative.<\/p>\n \u2018The redevelopment is going to cost more than allowing the GLA to stay there.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/badvibes.live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271088017-6b4b-300x200.webp\")
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