About this talk

Running time: 40 minutes

Graham Stirk is a senior partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, having first joined the practice in 1983 when it was titled the Richard Rogers Partnership. As principal architect on buildings that include the office scheme 88 Wood Street, the luxury residential building One Hyde Park, two airports and a winery, he helps steer the design direction of the practice.

Here Stirk discusses The Leadenhall Building - a speculative office tower in London's financial district. The tower is inclined along the south side to avoid blocking a key view of St. Paul's Cathedral, with core services housed in a vertical "cassette" on the north side. The concept of distinct served and servant spaces, borrowed from Louis Kahn, recurs throughout the work of the practice. Stirk also explores the challenges of building across the street from the Lloyd's Register of Shipping - the first building he worked on after graduation and, in contrast to Leadenhall, one of the most bespoke office buildings on the planet - and explains the 11 year lag between commission and completion.

Recorded at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners office in London.