STRAND EAST TOWER Built as part of the London regeneration, this timber tower rises 40 meters into the air. Whilst it may not be as grand in scale as the ArcelorMittal Orbit by Anish Kapoor, it certainly provides a different approach to towers and offers something more natural. As I will discuss next, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is made of dominant steel and other such man made materials. On the other hand, the Strand East Tower is a beautifully designed timber structure which presents a refreshing, welcome, and much needed piece of nature into London. Further than just the materials used, the design has been aimed towards producing something of a very light and somewhat transparent feel. This is a good message as part of London’s regeneration, it moves away from cumbersome steel and concrete and towards something new, it also shows how timber is capable of forming a structure as tall as this with a relatively simple design. The hyperboloid design may very well be worth considering. |