The Shard: a Vertical City Information The birth of the Shard Top facts The tallest building in the UK Completed in 2012 310 metres high and 73 floors It has residential flats, 5-star hotels, bars, restaurants, offices Location: southern part of River Thames and close to London Bridge train station Owner of the property: Irvine Sellar, a British businessman Project by Renzo Piano It is inspired by the London spires painted by Canaletto, the railway lines and the masts of sailing ships It is eco-friendly with 90% of recycled constructions materials and reduced energy consumption It has several names Its flats are very expensive It has a fox as a mascot CULTURE, ART & LITERATURE A Visual Protest: the World of Banksy Banksy s career His identity: unknown Started his career painting Bristol trains and walls Influenced by Bristol local artists 2000: he adopts the stencilling technique Messages Famous works Powerful messages of social protest: antiwar, anti-capitalism, anti-establishment Simple images sometimes combined with slogans Subjects often include animals and children Girl with a Balloon: (2002) simple shapes with a faded statement: There s always a hope ; painted under Waterloo Bridge; its canvas was semi destroyed during an auction Flower Thrower: (2003) painted on a wall in Bethlehem; it represents a young militant throwing flowers instead of a bomb; message of peace 119