The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has advised planners to reject the Foster + Partners-designed Tulip Tower. As reported by the BBC, the mayor has highlighted a number of concerns raised in a London Review Panel report, and advised City of London Corporation (CLC) planners to reject permission, despite a previous endorsement of the scheme by the CLC’s chief planning officer.
The London Review Panel report outlined several issues with the scheme, saying the building “does not represent world-class architecture, it lacks sufficient quality and quantity of public open space, and its social and environmental sustainability does not match the ambition of its height and impact on London’s skyline."
Through a spokesperson, the mayor expressed “a number of serious concerns with the application, and having studied it in detail has refused permission for a scheme that he believes would result in very limited public benefit.”
Responding to the news, Foster + Partners and developers J Safra said they were “disappointed by the Mayor of London’s decision to direct refusal of planning permission” and they would “take time to consider potential next steps for the Tulip Project.”
The 305-meter-high, bud-like scheme, named after its nature-inspired form, intended to become a “new public cultural attraction” sitting adjacent to The Gherkin: one of Foster’s and London’s most iconic structures. As part of the project, the building would offer an education facility operated by building owners J. Safra Group. The program, with 20,000 free places per year for London’s state school children, will feature “unparalleled vantage point to view London from a height of around 300 meters.”
300 meters up, viewing galleries will offer visitors an engaging experience with sky bridges, internal glass slides, and gondola pod rides on the building façade, while a sky bar and restaurants will offer 360-degree views of the city. Visitors will also benefit from “interactive materials and briefings from expert guides about the history of London.”
In April of this year, the scheme took a major step towards realization, when a report by the CLC chief planning officer said that the scheme would give London “a new iconic building” with a “bold and striking” form.
News via: BBC
