A new 38-floor skyscraper planned for London has won approval from the City to proceed. Rafael Viñoly’s tower has often been referred to as “the Walkie Talkie” because its shape is curved and it has a rounded crown, much like a child’s toy walkie talkie. In its plans for the building, developer Land Securities said there will a sky garden on top of it, which it called the “highest accessible park in London.”
The architect’s design for the new building has drawn controversy from its introduction, and seven floors have been cut from the original plans. Some critics have called if oppressive and childlike. Mr. Viñoly is accustomed to controversy in the capital city, as his recent plans for an eco-dome at the Battersea Power Station were scuttled by criticism.
Land Securities has been given a five-year planning window instead of the customary three years, so it is not clear when construction will start, or when the Walkie Talkie tower will be complete.
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