In deference to street life, the architects tapered the tower at its base to improve connections to the surrounding streets and allow the maximum amount of sunlight to reach the plaza level. The circular plan enables much of the site's ground level to be used as a landscaped public plaza, with mature trees and low stone walls that effectively mark the site boundary and provide seating.
Yet, to call the space "public" is a misnomer. The tightly squeezed plaza is uninviting. A meeting point possibly but never a relaxing area, not a place to meander, and a place where, currently at least, bicycles are not allowed.
Swiss Re occupies eight office floors half way up the building; the remaining floors are being leased to allow for the company's future needs. Tenants have the option of leasing space in increments of two or six floors. The typical office floor is divided into six rectangular spaces, alternating with triangular service areas.
The answer as to where to dine within the city is answered at the building's top floors. A restaurant at level 39, and a bar at level 40, under the building's crown, offer a spectacular 360-degree panoramic view.
Foster and Partners' aim had been to create an "environmentally responsible building with natural economy of form and a detailed understanding of the urban context in which it is placed." The result is a building that is radical "socially, technically, architecturally and spatially." The Stirling Prize judges were unanimous in their award decision. They said in their citation: "The client wanted a landmark building and they have certainly got one."
The Swiss Re's London Headquarters is a symbol, not only for one of the world's leading reinsurance companies, but also for the City of London. The tower's uniqueness is reflected in the fact that there is little chance of a duplicate being built.
Looking from Jack Straw's Castle, the highest point in London, over Hampstead Heath towards the city, the building has already settled into its surrounds. There now seems to be a general public recognition and acceptance of something unprecedented in the London skyline.