• LocationLondon, United Kingdom
  • Completion2004
  • ClientSwiss Re
  • ArchitectFoster and Partners
  • Main ContractorSkanska
  • EngineerArup
  • Quantity SurveyorGardiner & Theobald
Known in London as "The Gherkin". This name for the iconic London headquarters of Swiss Re-insurance company comes from its unusual shape, which has turned the 40-story tower into a symbol of the City of London. The architectural masterpiece was designed by Foster and Partners, who first engaged Waagner Biro to support and develop the design of the glazed dome that caps the building. Waagner Biro were engaged early with the wider design team to meet the technical challenges of completing the building’s dome. It is precisely at the top of the building, where all the steel beams come together, that Waagner Biro’s decades of experience in sophisticated steel and glass architecture was vital. 85 tonnes of steel and 1,500m² of glass were used to construct the dome.