1 Undershaft [SEP] architect
1 Undershaft
1 Undershaft, informally known as The Trellis due to its external cross bracing, is a skyscraper planned for the City of London financial district which was given approval in November 2016. The scheme has been developed by Aroland Holdings and designed by Eric Parry Architects. It is set replace the St Helen's tower and upon completion will become the second tallest skyscraper in London and the United Kingdom.
The building is the second design for a skyscraper at 1 Undershaft, replacing a previous proposal designed by architects Avery Associates
, which are hung from power trusses at the top of the building (and in the case of No. 1 Undershaft, a further central power-truss). It is an example of a tension structure; at the time, it was considered one of the most complex glass-fronted buildings in the United Kingdom. The architect acknowledged the influence of Mies van der Rohe.
The building was extensively damaged by an IRA bomb in the early-1990s and subsequently had to be reclad. It was occupied by various tenants until