An unmistakable icon of London’s skyline, the Gherkin officially opened #OnThisDay in 2004 🥒 Designed by @fosterandpartners, 30 St Mary Axe - better known as the Gherkin - blends elements of structural expressionism, neo-futurism, and post-modernism. Construction wrapped in December 2003, and the building opened to the public the following year. Rising 180 metres with 41 floors, the Gherkin was built on the site of the former Baltic Exchange, which was destroyed in an IRA bombing in 1992. Its striking curved form - covered by 24,000 square metres of glass, roughly the size of five football pitches - helped reshape the modern London skyline. Nicknamed ‘the Gherkin’ for its resemblance to the pickled vegetable, the building houses retail spaces and a public plaza at ground level, topped by a private double-height rooftop viewing gallery and restaurant. Architects Norman Foster and Ken Shuttleworth designed the tower with sustainability at its core. Its aerodynamic shape channels natural light deep into the building and draws in fresh air through spiralling light wells, reducing the need for air conditioning. The distinctive triangulated glazing also helps minimise wind turbulence at street level - an engineering feat for a building of its height. Since opening, the Gherkin has featured in countless films and TV shows, and was awarded the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize in 2004 - cementing its place as one of the world’s most celebrated skyscrapers. 📷 archiadv_