High - Tech Architecture. Ar. Norman Foster. Presented by :- Nikita Sahuji.

1. TIMELINE : HIGH - TECH ARCHITECTURE
BUILDING : THE GHERKIN
ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER
NIKITA .SAHUJI
309121
T.Y.ARCH
CONTEMPORARY ARCH.
J.N.E.C

2. THEGHERKIN
WHAT IS HIGH – TECH ARCHITECTURE ?
 STRUCTURAL EXPRESSIONISM EMERGED BY 1980’s.
 CELEBRATES DISPLAY OF BUILDING SERVICES.
 EXTENSIVE USE OF GLASS AND STEEL
 FLEXIBLE INTERIORS
 USE OF COLOURS TO INDICATE DIFFERENT SERVICES
 LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIAL
 GLASS SKINS
 PIONEERS : NORMAN FOSTER, RICHARD ROGGERS, I.M.PIE, etc.

3. THEGHERKIN
BUILDING : 30 ST.MARY AXE,LONDON, U.K
STYLE : HIGH TECH ARCHITECTURE ,
NEO FUTURISM
FUNCTION : OFFICE SKYSCRAPERS
OWNER : SAFRA GROUP
ARCHITECT : NORMAN FOSTER
CONSTRUCTION : 2001-2004
HEIGHT : 180M (591ft)
FLOORS : 41
AREA : 47,950sq.m
ABOUT PROJECT:

4. THEGHERKIN
ABOUT PROJECT:
 30 ST. MARY AXE IS KNOWN AS ‘ THE
GHERKIN ‘ BECAUSE THE PLANS LOOK LIKE
GHERKIN IE: THE SLICE OF CUCUMBUR.
 IT IS LONDONS FIRST ECOLOGICAL GREEN
SKYSCRAPER.
 IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BUILDING IN
LONDON.
 IT WAS HONOURED WITH THE AWARD OF
BEST BUILT PROJECT IN 2006.

5. THEGHERKIN
PRELIMNARY DESIGN IDEA:
 Breaking the hierarchy of solid
rectangular boxes in the vicinity.
 Offers minimal resistance to wind,
improving the environment for people on
the ground and reducing the load on the
building.
 The slim base reduces the reflections
and increase daylight penetration.
 The bullet shaped building responds
to specific demands of small site
area.

6. THEGHERKIN
SITE PLAN WITH GROUND FLOOR :
N

7. THEGHERKIN
GROUND PLAN :
N

8. THEGHERKIN
FLOOR PLANS :
40th FLOOR PLAN
1st FLOOR PLAN 6th FLOOR PLAN
21st FLOOR PLAN
1 2 3
6
5
4
6
5
6
7
8
 1
 2
 3
 4
- Entrance
- Lobby
- Retail
- Core
 5
 6
 7
 8
- Offices
- Light well
- Private Dinning
- Lift and
staircase
N

9. THEGHERKIN
FLOOR PLANS :
40th FLOOR PLAN 39th FLOOR PLAN
1st FLOOR PLAN6th FLOOR PLAN21st FLOOR PLAN
33rd FLOOR PLAN
5 deg. TILT IN EACH FLOOR PLAN
N

10. THEGHERKIN
SERVICE FLOOR:
PLAN
SECTION
NOTE : THE DEMARKATION OF SERVICE FLOOR IS IN
RED COLOUR IN SECTION.

11. THEGHERKIN
SECTIONS :

12. THEGHERKIN
SUSTAINABILITY AND VENTILTION:
Differing air pressures and double skin façade allow natural ventilation.
Six spiralling light wells allow daylight.
Windows are computer controlled and they open only when
temperature is between 20-26 deg. And wind speed is less than 10mph

13. THEGHERKIN
CIRCULATION:
 Each of the two main stairwells contain 1037 stairs.
 It has 23 lifts out of which 18 are passenger lifts.
 It has well designed corridors with an professional ambience created by
use of lightings and interiors.
 Two special shuttle elevators serve the top floors of the building.

14. THEGHERKIN
FOUNDATION :
 Because of site restrictions and in
order to create a monolithic
foundation, all the piles were
poured in one day.
 No.of piles : 333
 Length of pile : 9km
 Dia of pile : 750mm

15. THEGHERKIN
GENERAL STRUCTURE :
 The structure is based on primary elements
1. DIAGRID
2. CORE
 Diagrid is the main structure resisting horizontal and gravitional
loads.
 The core resists the gravitional loads.

16. THEGHERKIN
DIAGRID :
Aluminium coated tube steel.
Series of two stories high.
One full diamond is four stories
tall.
Diagrid is a series of triangle
that combine the gravity and
lateral support into one.
It makes the building stiff,
efficient and lighter than
traditional high rise buildings
It was later on adopted in many
other buildings.

17. THEGHERKIN
THE CORE :

18. THEGHERKIN
CONNECTIONS :
A special connector transfers the loads
at NODES which are rigid ,monolithic
and welded properly.
The core has the rigid connections of
steel beams and columns
The diagrid has the rigid node
connections at intersecting members.

19. THEGHERKIN
CONCLUSION :
THE BUILDING ALLOWS TO INVESTIGATE HOW A CITY DEVELOPS
AND CHANGES OVER A TIME.
IT IS GREAT EXAMPLE OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
SURROUBDED BY MEDIEVAL CITY.
THE EXCELLENTLY EMPHASISED STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE
BUILDING MAKES IT STAND OUT IN THE VICINITY
THE ARCHITECT MADE A GREAT EFFORT TO MAKE THE
AMALGAMATION OF ARCHITECTURE , CLIMATE AND STRUCTURE.

20. THEGHERKIN
MATERIALS :
35km of steel, 10000 tons are used.
24000 sq.m of glass is used on façade.
Recyclable and recycled material was used
wherever possible.
The exterior cladding consists of 5500 flat
triangular , diamond shaped glass panels.

21. THANK YOU