Towers should be high quality

A recent report from New London Architecture showcases that the popularity of creating towers in London is continuing. According to their data 455 buildings over 20 floors in height were planned in 2016. This is a rise in the number planned for 2015. The NLA report also looked at the frequency of the building projects that were ongoing in the capital. Their data shows that over the past twelve months work on a new tower began each week. The end result is the skyline of London is changing rapidly and will continue to do so as these properties extend upwards.Although towers are becoming a more common piece of the residential architecture London has to offer there are plenty of concerns about the quality of buildings. Several high profile architects have issued their thoughts on the matter, stating they believe there are problems with planning and design.One thing that has been highlighted is that the quality can suffer as projects move further from the centre of the city. This could be down to a number of things, including stricter controls in the central areas or the highly visual nature of the properties in these locations.An important thing to keep in mind is that multiple towers in a single area can compromise each other. A great example of this is One Blackfriars. The 50 storey residential tower was initially designed to be a singular property that indicated the bridgehead for the area. Now a 49 storey tower is being created over the road and a pair of them (31 and 27 storeys respectively) will be constructed on another nearby site. The result is the area will seem like a gateway to the area, not what One Blackfriars was originally designed to be part of.The solution to this kind of problem would be clearer planning strategies. These could help to prevent planning failures such as the ones above. As part of the process the context and site should be considered, ensuring both are appropriate for the design.At Coffey Architects we have a passion for the commercial architecture London is home to. We take inspiration from numerous projects, including high rise towers, and always work to deliver the very best standards.