Before the last twenty years, there weren’t too many skyscrapers in London; in fact, you could count all of them on the metaphorical fingers of one hand. It was done in part to preserve the view of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and it was also done in part due to a cultural aversion to skyscrapers. The City of London, often known as the Square Mile, has been the beating heart of the city for centuries and is home to a vast number of ancient landmarks. Some of these attractions include St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Royal Exchange, numerous churches, and the Tower of London. Because of its rich architectural history, the local government has implemented stringent zoning laws throughout the area.
In 1999, the City of London was home to the city’s only two skyscrapers; today, the city is home to around 40 skyscrapers, both completed and under development.
However, the construction of all of these towers so closely together instantly produced a windy microclimate. As a consequence of this, the wind was channelled downward and along the roads, with gusts that were occasionally strong enough to knock pedestrians and cyclists off their bikes. This phenomena takes place in other cities with skyscrapers, but it is far more severe in London since the streets of the City of London are quite small and very rough.
The Walkie Talkie that is situated at number 20 of Fenchurch Street is especially well-known for the wind that it generates, and the establishment has been the subject of a significant number of complaints. He was also suspected of setting fire to parked automobiles (since their reflective surfaces would catch the sun for two hours a day, causing the temperature on the street to rise to more than 100 degrees), but for that they installed screens.
New regulations have been implemented by the City of London to reduce the likelihood of future skyscrapers causing hurricanes or starting fires that consume the surrounding area. According to the new regulations, architects are required to offer exhaustive wind tunnel and computer simulation analyses of how the mass of a new structure may effect individuals who are outside walking about. It will be necessary to request that the architects of any proposed buildings that may have an adverse effect on walkers, cyclists, or motorists modify their designs.
