How has the Shard impacted the urban ecology of London - Essay Example

83). A viewing gallery which presents an exquisite sight 360 degree around London for up to 40 miles is located on the 68th, 69th and the 72nd floor of Shard. Shard has a number of offices located inside and provides a comfortable and healthy work place environment. Besides this, Shard also has Shangri-La Hotel built inside of it, offering a 5-star experience to its guests. All facilities like gym, pool, international restaurants etc. are readily available as well as business facilities for its honored guests.

All in all, Shard is an eloquent and fascinating work, becoming the pride of London (Rogers, 2008). Shard, not being one of the tallest in the world, still holds its position in the UK and in the Europe as well. It certainly has its high impact on the ecology of the city as it is a well-known fact that the infrastructure immensely affects the economy and ecology of a city. This building has added many plus points in the ecology of London. The architect’s team behind Shard has tried their best to make the structure of Shard delicate towards the environment, on both local and global level.

Maximizing energy efficiency was targeted enabling it to be a sustainable design (Pickett, Cadenasso and McGrath, 2013, p. 153). From the outside Shard gives an outstanding look, dominating the area with its remarkable features and representing the beauty of its surroundings. Shard is close to the London Bridge, together with it gives a stunning look throughout. Its impressive features have had promising effects on the ecology of London. The unique shape and appearance as well as outstanding functions of Shard distinguish it from many other tall buildings in the area.

The granite, glass and steel finish of the tower enables it to combine with the skyline, reflecting the surrounding buildings and the sky (Konmany and Ali, 2013, p. 354). All these features approve Shard to be a magnificent landmark