125 London Wall
| Company type | Office building |
|---|---|
| Industry | Commercial real estate |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Headquarters | City of London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Office space |
| Owner | Blackstone (since 2014) |
125 London Wall, commonly referred to as Alban Gate, is a postmodern architectural structure situated on London Wall within the City of London. It stands alongside Embankment Place and Vauxhall Cross (the SIS Building) as one of the three pivotal developments that cemented Sir Terry Farrell's prominence during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2004, author Deyan Sudjic characterized it as "postmodernism at its most exuberant," placing it fifth in his list of Ten Triumphs of contemporary UK architecture.
History
This area, formerly the northeastern section of Roman Londinium, suffered extensive damage during The Blitz and was subsequently redeveloped in the postwar era with a focus on modernist, car-oriented urban design. The road known as London Wall was transformed into a contentious dual carriageway in the 1960s, surrounded by tall buildings such as the Barbican Estate. The site now occupied by Alban Gate was originally home to Lee House, a modernist office block. Following the deregulation event termed "Big Bang" under Margaret Thatcher in 1986 and a surge in demand for large, open-plan office spaces, permission was granted to demolish Lee House.
Design
Erected from 1990 to 1992, the development comprises 18 storeys reaching .[1] The architectural firm Terry Farrell and Partners utilized air rights above London Wall to reconnect divided urban areas. The design consists of two twin towers positioned at right angles; one tower extends over London Wall featuring an arcade with retail outlets and dining establishments suspended above the roadway, enhancing pedestrian connectivity.
The second tower is supported by an artistically crafted podium that reestablishes urban continuity and remedies inadequate pedestrian circulation caused by earlier modernist schemes. This podium, along with an adjacent low-rise block inspired by Romanesque style, harmonizes with neighboring building heights and acts as a buffer against motorway noise for Monkwell Square—formerly a service yard—which was also redesigned and landscaped.
While each tower possesses a unique visual identity, they share interconnected floorplates and a central core for services. The uppermost floor (18th) of one tower houses an exclusive suite designed for meetings.
Tenants
The structure is distinguished as the previous UK base of JPMorgan Chase, a major international investment bank. In 2012, Nabarro LLP secured a lease for of office accommodation. Presently, the majority of space within the building is occupied by offices belonging to Lloyds Banking Group.
Ownership
In 2000, ownership transferred from MEPC plc through a sale valued at around £160 million. By July 2010, it formed part of a collection of six prime London properties acquired by the Carlyle Group for £671 million after the collapse of property companies linked to Simon Halabi. Later in 2014, Blackstone purchased Alban Gate for £300 million.
Notes
- Bibliography