First look at London’s new 1,000ft skyscraper ‘The Tulip’ with glass gondolas to ride above city
The 1,000 ft glass skyscraper will have internal glass slides and transparent pod rides on the outside of the building to allow visitors to view the city
LONDON will have a new addition to its skyline as plans for The Tulip have been unveiled.
Similar to the Cheese Grater, Gherkin and Walkie Talkie, The Tulip gains its name from it's distinctive shape that mimics the well-known bloom.
A 12-storey glass bud stands on top of a 787ft concrete shaft right next to the Gherkin, with eight floors of viewing platforms.
Standing tall at 1,000ft, the structure will feature glass pods on the outside of the building that will allow visitors to hover above the city and take in the views.
Once completed, the flower-inspired building will be London's second tallest skyscraper in the city, just five meters smaller than The Shard, in London Bridge.
Glass slides and bridges are planned for the interior, as well as interactive displays and talks from experts about the capital's history on the 'education floor'.
Around 20,000 free visits for state school children will be offered each year.
The company's founder and executive chair Norman Foster said the building would be a "culturual and social landmark", according to BBC.
The building that will be adjacent to 20 Bury Street is designed by the same architects as the Gherkin, officially known as St Mary Axe, and will have bars and restaurants with a capacity to hold 1,500 people.
Plans will be submitted to the City of London Corporation today following a year of discussions and work is expected to start in 2020 and it is planned to take five years to complete.
Sir Norman Foster, founder of Foster + Partners, said: "It offers significant benefits to Londoners and visitors as a cultural and social landmark with unmatched educational resources for future generations."
Jacob J Safra, of J Safra Group, which owns The Gherkin and is also involved in the latest project, said it would be a "world-class visitor attraction", adding: "The Tulip's elegance and soft strength compliments the iconic Gherkin.
"We are confident in London's role as a global city and are proud to offer its schoolchildren a state-of-the-art classroom in the sky to appreciate London's history and dynamism."
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