Construction of the £500m building, described as ‘Europe’s first vertical village’ started in January 2017, on the foundations of the stalled Pinnacle project.
Multiplex has now handed over the building to the developers and the new occupants, including insurance companies Axa and Hiscox, are set to start moving in during the first part of 2021.
The 278-metre (912 ft) high building provides 1,275 million sq ft of workspace. It is the tallest building in the City of London and the second tallest across the capital. Only the Shard, in Southwark, stands higher, at 310 metres (1,016 ft).
22 Bishopsgate comprises a steel-framed tower with a central supporting concrete core. The basement is three levels deep with a network of supporting columns and transfer structures taking loads down to piled foundations.
Designed by PLP Architecture, 22 Bishopsgate is the tallest building in the world to use the closed cavity façade (CCF) curtain wall system, which enables the building to have clear glazing and good thermal properties, it is claimed.
The project has been led by AXA IM-Real Assets on behalf of a consortium of investors, in conjunction with Lipton Rogers Developments.
22 Bishopsgate incorporates a range of new technologies and innovations including 52 double-decker lifts (of 60 in total) which can travel at 30 km/h and will be the fastest in London. The operational team has already put into action an app-based entry and security system, which allows residents one-click registration and touchless access to the building using NFC or QR technology or (opt-in) facial recognition system. Once fully operational the app will allow workers in the building to control smart blinds, which are built into the triple glazed windows to control sunlight as well as order food and drink items from The Market to have ready for collection on entrance or booking app for various services in the building, including meeting rooms and spa slots.
All the technology and systems of the building operate over a converged network and are connected to a self-learning fault detection and diagnosis system. This collects and analyses over one million data points per day on temperature, air, light, water and the flow of people with the aim of increasing energy efficiency, lowering operational costs and simplifying repairs.
Multiplex project director Andrew Feighery said: “22 Bishopsgate is an innovative and sustainable building that is set to make a significant contribution to London’s position as a global business destination. Its completion is a timely boost for the City as we look towards a more positive 2021 and testament to not just our dedicated team at Multiplex but also the hundreds of subcontractors who have worked so professionally throughout the pandemic to reach this stage successfully and safely.”
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