20 Fenchurch Street, Modern skyscraper in City of London, England.
20 Fenchurch Street is a 38-storey commercial skyscraper in the City of London, 160 m (525 ft) tall, designed by Rafael Viñoly. Its top-heavy form widens as it rises, with a dark glass front, pale vertical fins on the sides and a curved, slatted roof. White capital letters reading "20 FENCHURCH STREET" stand on the glass wall near the lower right.
Construction began in 2009 on the site of an older office building from 1968 and finished in April 2014. During the building phase, the curved glass exterior focused sunlight and required subsequent adjustments to the design.
Londoners nicknamed the tower 'Walkie-Talkie' after its shape, narrow at the base and bulging at the top like a handheld radio. This silhouette stands out among the traditional financial skyscrapers in the City and draws both criticism and camera lenses.
The top three floors host a public sky garden with views over the city, requiring advance online registration to visit. On clear days the view stretches for miles, while fog or rain can cloud the windows.
The curved glass exterior created a focal point during construction that melted plastic parts on parked cars in the neighborhood and even scorched carpets in a nearby shop. Architects had to retrofit horizontal fins to reduce the concentrated light effect.
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