London city hall: an architectural curiosity

Visit London City hall is a government establishment you can see in London.

Today, I'm going to tell you all about this building.

London city hall: article summary

London city hall in a few key dates

In 1986, Margaret Thatcher's government dissolved the Greater London Council and its responsibilities were transferred to the government or to boards of trustees. made up of members of each borough council.

In the late 90s, under Tony Blair's government, the idea of a central authority in London was again explored.

The new body was created by the Greater London Act of 1999 and officially formed in 2000. Two years later, the Greater London Authority would get a new headquarters simply named Hôtel de Ville.

A futuristic-looking building, it houses the offices of the mayor, the London Assembly and numerous municipal services.

A huge building

The 10-storey town hall covers more than 17,187 m², with an exterior of 2,100 tonnes of steel and 7,300 m² of glass.

The glass façade has a diameter of 45 metres, which makes it as wide as the building is tall, with a height of 45 metres.

In 2010, this caused some controversy, as the bill for washing these windows came to around £140,000 a year.

London city hall: the work of a well-known London architect

If the design elements of City Hall seem to reflect the Gherkin, it's no coincidence.

Architect Norman Foster designed both buildings, and loves to use glass in his creations.

A building not to everyone's taste

The simple fact of calling it City Hall was a tribute to the American-inspired structure of the Greater London Authority, which was an attempt by the British government to establish a "city hall" format. more effective than the Greater London Council.

The bulbous nature of the structure lends itself to comparisons with a car headlight, an ashtray and a fencing mask.

Nicknames for City Hall include "The Snail" and "The Onion". Former mayor Ken Livingstone and current mayor Boris Johnson have given it cruder nicknames.

London city hall: a spiral footbridge

The Town Hall has a long spiral walkway that runs from the first floor to the top, although it is closed to the public when the Assembly is in session.

The ascent is said to be akin to a flight on the London Eye.

The scoop: a summer showroom

Outside is a sunken amphitheatre known as "The Scoop". This opens as an auditorium during the warmer months.

If you're looking for other places to see shows in summer, I recommend Hyde Park. You can also discover the charm of West End theaters.

A diversified government

The glazed and open nature of the architecture has already been the subject of a complaint from Assembly members that it was "too open". to be used by separate political parties.

They sought an alternative building plan, but nothing came of it. Today, four parties make up the representatives of the London Assembly:

• Labour controls the chamber with 12 members
• Conservatives with 9 members
• Green Party with 2 members
• Liberal Democrats with 2 members

London city hall: how much did it cost to build?

The Town Hall cost £43 million and is not owned by the Greater London Authority, but operates on a twenty-five year lease.

Space for rent

The upper level contains a space known as London's Living-Rooms, which can be rented for private events and organizations at £5,000 per night.

In addition to corporate and charity events, the Living-Room was even the venue for an after-party following the premiere of the film Minority Report.

London city hall: an eco-responsible facility

In line with the trend towards more energy-efficient government buildings, City Hall features a number of functions designed to reduce energy consumption.

The roof of the building is fitted with solar panels, the air conditioning system uses cold groundwater instead of refrigeration, and this water is then used in the toilets.

The deep floor plan allows heat to escape in the heart of the building, then spread out everywhere.

The spherical shape of the Town Hall helps to reduce energy consumption by minimizing surface area.

The London City hall is an establishment you can come across on your trip to London. It stands proudly on the banks of the River Thames and is a real curiosity for tourists.

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