![\"City](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271088627-88e1.jpg\")
\n\t\tFormer City Hall building will be revitalised with new open terraces, shrubs and trees. (Picture: St Martin\u2019s Property)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tFormer City Hall building will be revitalised with new open terraces, shrubs and trees. (Picture: St Martin\u2019s Property)<\/p>\n
Work is finally underway to transform the empty London City Hall building into a leaf-lined shops and restaurants.<\/p>\n
The former Mayor\u2019s office, dubbed by ex-mayor Ken Livingstone as the \u2018glass testicle\u2019 will also have it\u2019s lift shaft renovated.<\/p>\n
The deconstruction work<\/a> on the building on the banks of the River Thames is expected to run until early 2026. So far, the glass panes and 500 meter staircase have been removed.<\/p>\n The building must grow to fit retail at the base level and the straightening of the exterior is necessary to create terraces for greenery.<\/p>\n The material treatment of the lift\u00a0shaft has been revised by extending blue-green enamelled finishes over its full height. <\/p>\n Designers say this allows it to \u2018integrate more harmoniously with the overall architecture of the scheme\u2019.<\/p>\n They added new plans contained a \u2018significant 27% reduction in steel usage\u2019 compared to the earlier version of the scheme saving 812 tonnes of CO2 emissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Queen Elizabeth<\/a> opened the showpiece headquarters designed by Lord Foster in 2002.<\/p>\n But in 2020, Sir Sadiq Khan<\/a> decided to move the London Assembly to the Royal Victoria Dock in Newham in an attempt to save costs and increase regeneration.<\/p>\n Figured obtained by The Standard in 2012 revealed cleaning<\/a> the 3,000 glass panes racked up a whopping bill of \u00a3140,000 a year.<\/p>\n \t\t A chamber where assembly members would question mayor and officials about policy and budget was the focal point of the building.<\/p>\n It featured a 500 meter spiral staircase which is already gone.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/p>\n To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s<\/strong> London news hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n Brian Coleman who was a Conservative on the London<\/a> Assembly when city hall opened told ITV<\/a> News:\u2019It\u2019s cultural vandalism of the worst sort.<\/p>\n \u2018This was built as city hall, seat of London governance. Instead Sadiq moved the assembly and the mayor down to some warehouse down river in Newham \u2013 it\u2019s outrageous.\u2019<\/p>\n The building has been renamed 110 the Queen\u2019s Walk and will feature urban greenery, shops, restaurants and some interest in space for cultural exhibitions.<\/p>\n However, at the public exhibition of the plans, there was one visitor from South-West London who was negative about \u2018lots of pot plants\u2019, the expense and whether the changes were necessary.<\/p>\n There were other concerns about the trees potentially blocking the view.<\/p>\n The Londonist has even suggested its new nickname to be the \u2018mossed ribcage.\u2019<\/p>\n Former Green party London Assembly member said to ITV News: \u2018I think initially it looks absolutely amazing because you really don\u2019t want a derelict building right on the banks of the Thames.<\/p>\n \u2018I think on the whole better to use it than leave it empty.\u2019<\/p>\n The new architects, Gensler, said the redesign will be \u2018anchored around principles of reuse, material circularity, passive design, biodiversity and inclusivity.\u2019<\/p>\n Ben McKnight, who used to work in the building, commented on Facebook<\/a> saying: \u2018I worked there until 2016. Whatever people think, having lost County Hall, it brought a visibility and prominence to the GLA.<\/p>\n \u2018Now we see it move from public service to private economic imperative.<\/p>\n \u2018The redevelopment is going to cost more than allowing the GLA to stay there.\u2019<\/p>\n Historic England<\/a> registered \u2018modest concerns regarding the application on heritage grounds\u2019 and tried twice to have the building listed to maintain its distinctive features.<\/p>\n Historic England and Gensler have been approached for comment.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"City](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/SEI_271088017-6b4b.jpg\")
\n\t\tCity Hall of London features 3,000 glass panes and was dubbed the \u2018glass testicle\u2019 by former Mayor Ken Livingstone (Picture: Luis Diaz Devesa\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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