Lloyds of London building
Lime Street, London, UK · 1978-1986 · £75 million (construction cost)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchRadical high-tech architecture, a significant example of "Bowellism." - Design aimed at creating a highly adaptable and flexible interior. - Influential in architectural design, though maintenance costs have been noted as a challenge.
Key engineering challenges
"Inside-out" design with services (ducts, elevators, pipes) on the exterior to maximize internal space. - Achieving flexibility for internal spaces to be reconfigured as the market grew. - Innovative use of prefabrication and modular construction.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Corporation of Lloyd's
- Lead contractor
- Sir Robert McAlpine
- Lead designers
- Richard Rogers and Partners (now RSHP) (architects); Arup (engineers)
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 12 stories to the north stepping down to 6 stories to the south; 48,000-55,000 square metres (522,000 square feet) total area.
- Disciplines
- Architecture; structural engineering; mechanical engineering; electrical engineering; plumbing engineering
- Standards & frameworks
- UK building standards of the period.
Sources: https://www.archdaily.com/90668/ad-classics-lloyds-of-london-building-richard-rogers; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd%27s_building; https://rshp.com/projects/office/lloyds-of-london/; https://archeyes.com/the-lloyds-building-richard-rogers-vision-for-architecture/; https://www.lloyds.com/about-lloyds/the-lloyds-building; https://www.dezeen.com/2019/11/19/lloyds-building-richard-rogers-high-tech-london/; https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/infrastructure-projects/lloyds-building; https://www.arup.com/en-us/projects/lloyds-of-london/