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London's Tallest Building Officially Unveiled

The tallest skyscraper in the EU is to officially be unveiled central London.

The Shard, a gleaming feat of glass and gravity-defying engineering, stands 309.6 metres, dominating the city’s skyline and towering existing landmarks such as 30 St Mary Axe - "the Gherkin" - and One Canada Square.

Rising the depths of the economic downturn, thanks an almighty investment from Qatar, the skyscraper been £1.5bn and 12 years in the .

First sketched the back of a restaurant menu in Berlin in 2000, the designs received planning approval 2003, but securing the finances significantly longer.

Funding stalled during the crunch, until Qatar intervened in 2009, taking 95% of the investment.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saoud al Thani, the governor of Qatar Central Bank and chairman of the of directors of Shard Funding Ltd, said: "The Shard is newest London landmark and a beacon the city of London’s resilience and expansion, during tough economic ."

"It is a symbol of Qatar's belief and commitment London both today in the future."

However, the skyscraper's office space has to be occupied - it will open with 26 floors vacant, the developers say they are discussion with a number of companies to fill .

Rents the best offices in London's financial district - the yardstick used by Shard developer Irvine Sellar the offices at the bottom of tower - have been £55 square foot since September 2010, property consultant CBRE said.

That is the longest period rents not risen since records began in 1960.

A spectacular light and laser show will the formal inauguration of the building, after a ceremony attended by Qatar's prime minister and Duke of York.

A combination of 12 lasers and 30 searchlights will light the night sky from the 95 storey building, accompanied live music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Irvine Sellar, the chairman of Sellar Property, said: "The Shard is iconic addition the capital’s skyline and will be one all of London can access and enjoy."

"It will become as essential a of a visit to London as going to the top of the Empire State building is visitors on a trip to New York.

"It will become a new symbol the city and something London can be proud . The Shard is fast becoming one of the most recognisable London skyline silhouettes."

The name "The Shard" is derived the architect, Renzo Piano's description of the development a "shard of glass" during planning stages.

Inspired Canaletto's paintings of the Thames and masts of the tall ships once anchored here, the idea was to create a kaleidoscope of a building - to reflect the city back itself.

Renzo Piano told Sky News: "If London is a city of mobile sky, this building is a building of mobile view - it's never same.

"The shards, of being vertical, are an angle, and so they reflect sky."

Thursday marks the formal completion of the outside the building, but work will continue inside to create the ten luxury residences, five star hotel, three floors of restaurants and office space, will become, in the words of the developers, a "vertical city".

A viewing platform the 69th floor will open the public from February next year.


Adapted from: Sky News, July 5, 2012.