Towering above London at 591 ft, 30 St Mary Axe, or “The Gherkin” (aptly nicknamed due to it unusual shape and appearance), comes in as the 6th tallest building in the UK and is located minutes from the Great Gorilla Run finish line. At this point the gorilla runners have passed all the London sights including the Tower of London, City Hall, HMS Belfast and the Tate Modern.

Take a moment to appreciate the award winning architecture and impressive structure that is the Gherkin. Designed by Lord Norman Foster and Ken Shuttleworth, with a massive 40 floors, the Gherkin is home to businesses, private function rooms, bars and restaurants with a bar on the 40th floor featuring panoramic views of the city.

Opening in 2004, the Gherkin is also the first environmentally progressive building on the Great Gorilla Run course and in London. With a self-cooling system and state-of-the-art design, allowing natural light to flood the building and reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Written by: Kate Werner (Gorilla Intern)

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No.1: Agenda Bar
No.2: Clothworker’s Hall
No.3: The Millenium AKA ‘Wobbly’ Bridge
No.4: The Tate Modern
No.5: Shakespeare’s Globe
No.6: Tower Bridge
No.7: The London Eye  
No.8: The Tower of London