Situated at the point where King William Street turns onto London Bridge, the site is magnificent with views along the bridge to the river. Our design directly draws on our “contextual modernist” approach to address the surroundings and to propose a suitably striking image and identity for a building which increases the quality and quantity of accommodation to draw out the site’s inherent value and character. A boundary-hugging plan maximises volume and brings daylight in from all side. The façade, which wraps the irregular curving form, addresses the issues of urban design. Its base, in keeping with its relationship to the roads, is a hard, dark granite, while above it becomes a filigree of stainless steel and glass, windows, frame and sunshading.