St George's Wharf Tower
Encyclopedia
St George Wharf Tower, also known as the The Tower, is a residential skyscraper
under construction in Vauxhall
, London
, as part of the St George Wharf
development. When built, it will be 181 metres (594 ft) tall with 49 storeys, making it the tallest residential building in the United Kingdom.
, which will power the tower's common lighting. At the base of the tower, water will be drawn from the London Aquifer and heat pump technology will be used to remove warmth from the water in the winter to heat the apartments. The tower will require one third of the energy compared to a similar building and CO2 release will be between one half and two thirds of normal emissions. It will be triple-glazed to minimise heat loss and gain, with low 'e' glazing and ventilated blinds between the glazing to further reduce heat gain.
(Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment), two revised planning applications were submitted and subsequently withdrawn. A final decision was made by the Deputy Prime Minister
in April 2005 and the tower was approved. This has been the subject of considerable controversy, due to the tower's height and its proximity to the Palace of Westminster
.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
under construction in Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, as part of the St George Wharf
St George Wharf
St George Wharf is a riverside development in the London Borough of Lambeth, England, located on the southern bank of the River Thames beside Vauxhall Bridge....
development. When built, it will be 181 metres (594 ft) tall with 49 storeys, making it the tallest residential building in the United Kingdom.
Design features
The structure will be topped by a wind turbineWind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
, which will power the tower's common lighting. At the base of the tower, water will be drawn from the London Aquifer and heat pump technology will be used to remove warmth from the water in the winter to heat the apartments. The tower will require one third of the energy compared to a similar building and CO2 release will be between one half and two thirds of normal emissions. It will be triple-glazed to minimise heat loss and gain, with low 'e' glazing and ventilated blinds between the glazing to further reduce heat gain.
Planning
Following ongoing advice from the government architectural body, CABECabe
Cabe can refer to:*Cabe , a tributary of the Sil River in Spain*CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment...
(Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment), two revised planning applications were submitted and subsequently withdrawn. A final decision was made by the Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
in April 2005 and the tower was approved. This has been the subject of considerable controversy, due to the tower's height and its proximity to the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
.