Strata SE1
Strata SE1 is a residential tower with 43 floors in the Elephant and Castle district of London, rising 148 meters (approximately 485 feet) into the air. The glass front and rounded shape catch attention immediately, while three large wind turbines stick out from the top of the building.
The tower was completed in 2010 and replaced an older office building called Castle House on the site. It was the first skyscraper in the world with integrated wind turbines at the time and part of a larger plan to modernize the surrounding area.
The three turbines on the roof were meant to generate electricity for the apartments but now rarely work because of noise and vibration. The tower often appears in films and television series and represents London's effort to combine housing with environmental thinking.
The building is easy to spot from outside and sits near the Elephant and Castle roundabout. Ground floor areas contain shops and entrances, while apartments are accessible only to residents.
The tower received the Carbuncle Cup in 2010 as the ugliest new building in the country. During demolition of the old building on the site, a worker tragically lost his life, leading to safety fines for the companies involved.
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