The 30 St Mary Axe is situated in the City of London. In reference to its shape, Londoners have become accustomed to calling it the Gherkin (“le cornichon” in French). The construction started in 2001 and lasted 3 years. It is composed of steel, glass and concrete : it is designed as a neo futurist building. This is a 180 metres high building, belonging to the Safra group.

Before The Gherkin, there was another building : Baltic Exchange. It was the headquarters of a global market for ship sales and maritime information. But in 1992, the IRA (Irish Republican Army) blew it up.

It received the Emporis Skyscraper Award of 2003 for the most outstanding skyscraper, the “Stirling Prize” and the London region Award thanks to its design and its energy saving. It was the first skyscraper built in this district since 1970 and it was the highest construction in London until the Shard. Its designers claim the title of the first ecological skyscraper of England.

Inside the building, the floors are designed as 6-pointed stars, so the light is transmitted everywhere. With its aerodynamic shape, the building use wind in the building’s ventilation system. There are weather stations to manage the opening of windows. Moreover, there isn’t any car park, but there’s a big bike park to encourage the employees to don’t use their car.