International Women’s Day Special: Karen Cook–The Architect behind the Tallest Tower in theCity

Karen Cook is not a historical figure, she’s still very much with us, alive and kicking. Karen Cook is the only woman in the City of London who is responsible for the design and construction of a skyscraper. And not just any skyscraper, the tallest one in the City - 22Bishopsgate. 22 Bishopsgate (or 22 for short) is a 62-story tower that stretches to a height of 278 meters. It was completed in 2020 and is used as office space by various companies. The vision of Karen Cook, an architect originally from the United States, was to create a vertical village. A holistic structure that would be a breeding ground for good communication, creativity, and positivity. All of which of course wrapped in an energy-efficient package. Cook certainly succeeded in fulfilling this visionand created a tower of the highest quality. Downstairs in the basement there is a bike park for about 1500 bicycles, a bicycle repair shop and all of the facilities needed to accommodate those who cycle to work. For the convenience of the employees there is a luxurious food market floor with a huge selection, and on the upper floors there is a fitness club that is one of the best in the city, with a glass climbing wall thatallows for an amazing view of London. The tower has a permanent curator who is responsible for changing the exhibitions displayed in the various spaces. The building received an excellent sustainability rating and is ran by making thoughtful and economical purchasing choices. Although you can’t visit the office area, you can go up to the top of the tower. There you will find the highest observation deck in the country (and the highest free one in Europe) - Horizon 22. Admission is free. When Karen Cook was asked in an interview why she turned to architecture, she replied: “I just wanted to make the world a better place”. How wonderfully simple!

📍Horizon 22 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AJ (closest stations: Bank and Monument)

Book here: https://horizon22.co.uk/book

📅Daily from 10am (until 6pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends)