The Willis Building is a commercial

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

in London named after the primary tenant,

Willis Group Willis Group Holdings plc was a multinational risk advisor, insurance brokerage and reinsurance brokerage company headquartered in the Willis Building in London. It was the third-largest insurance broker worldwide by revenues. In 2016, the com ...

. It is located on Lime Street in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

financial district. The building was designed by

Norman Foster Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank (born 1 June 1935) is an English architect. Closely associated with the development of high-tech architecture, Lord Foster is recognised as a key figure in British modernist architecture. Hi ...

and developed by British Land. It stands opposite the

Lloyd's building The Lloyd's building (sometimes known as the Inside-Out Building) is the home of the insurance institution Lloyd's of London. It is located on the former site of East India House in Lime Street, London, Lime Street, in London's main financial d ...

and is tall, with 26 storeys. It features a "stepped" design with setbacks rising at and . In total, there are of office floor-space, most of which was pre-let to the insurance broker Willis.

History

The Willis Building was constructed between 2004 and 2008 under the management of Mace and represented a significant addition to the City of London skyline at the time, becoming its fourth-tallest building after Tower 42,

30 St Mary Axe 30 St Mary Axe, previously known as the Swiss Re Building, is a commercial skyscraper in London's primary financial district, the City of London. Its nickname, The Gherkin, is due to its resemblance to the vegetable. It was completed in Decem ...

and CityPoint. The core was topped out in July 2006 and the steelwork completed in September that year. Cladding began in July 2006 and the structure was externally completed by June 2007. It was internally fitted out and officially opened in April 2008. The building was the first in a wave of new tall towers for London's primary financial district. Others included

22 Bishopsgate 22 Bishopsgate is a commercial skyscraper in London, England. Completed in 2020, it occupies a prominent site in Bishopsgate, in the City of London financial district, and stands tall with 62 storeys. The project replaces an earlier plan for a ...

, the Leadenhall Building and the

Heron Tower Salesforce Tower, 110 Bishopsgate (formerly known as, Heron Tower) is a commercial skyscraper in London. It stands tall including its mast making it the second tallest building in the City of London financial district and the fifth List of ta ...

Gallery

File:Willis Building.jpg, The Willis Building exterior nears completion (May 2007) Image:fb100_0796.jpg,

as viewed from the second "step" of the Willis Building (July 2007) Image:Lloyd's & Willis Building from Lime Street (9.7.07).jpg, The

is flanked by the Willis Building, as viewed from Lime Street (July 2007) Image:Willis and LLoyd's.jpg, The Willis and Lloyd's buildings, as viewed from St. Mary Axe (May 2011) Image:Willis Building, City of London.JPG, Willis Building, 2012

References

External links

Official website
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Timelapse video of the building's construction from March 2005 – May 2007
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Building.co.uk article
Skyscrapers in the City of London Buildings and structures in the City of London Skyscraper office buildings in London Foster and Partners buildings Office buildings completed in 2008

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links