Encompassing a mere square mile of area, the City of London exemplifies a dense urban fabric. Commercial real-estate developers have typically responded to crowded conditions by reaching skyward: two of London's three tallest buildings'the KPF-designed Heron Tower and Renzo Piano's Shard, both completed in 2010'are within this downtown core.
The opening of One New Change that same year demonstrates that not every contemporary icon requires a place in the skyline. Located directly across from St. Paul's Cathedral (itself a onetime record holder in building height), Jean Nouvel's mixed-use complex comprises 560,000 square feet on only six floors. The low-slung arrangement created equally sprawling interiors for office tenants like the law firm K&L Gates. Previously, its 380 London-based employees occupied 75,230 square feet on nine floors at 110 Cannon, a nondescript mid-rise building a half-mile east of the cathedral. The move honored a commitment to staying within the transit-accessible City area, while expanding to 102,000 square feet on only two floors.
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