If you're planning a trip to London in 2012 you'll be able to among the first to see an enigmatic sci-fi apparition called the Shard (aka London Bridge Tower), a 1017ft skyscraper currently under construction. When finished , the 72-story tower will be the tallest building in the U.K, and one of the tallest in Europe.
The Shard has several twisting glass facets on its exterior inspired by the masts of ships that once anchored on the Thames. The master architect, Renzo Piano, designed the Shard as a ‘vertical city’ that includes a public piazza, 586,509 sq ft (54, 488 sq m) of world class office space, an exclusive collection of residential apartments which will be the highest residential apartments in the UK and will be serviced by Europe’s first 5-star Shangri-La Hotel, retail space, restaurants, and a public viewing gallery.