Renzo Piano. The Shard. London Bridge Tower

This is the fifth volume of a series of monographs dedicated to iconic buildings designed by Renzo Piano. London Bridge Tower, also known as the "Shard", was completed in July 2012, though it is not open to public yet. With his 306 m height, the Shard is Europe's tallest building. Conceived and implemented as a vertical town, the tower is a shimmering, lively presence in London's skyline. The volume is an account of the story of this astonishing project, from its first design hypothesis and inception, to the amazing building site and the final grand opening. The volume presents a wide and exclusive choice of Renzo Piano's sketches, prospects, plans and sections of the building, working models, prototypes and photos from the site, along with direct accounts of those who took part in this extraordinary adventure. A text by Renzo Piano in first person tells the "behind the scene" story of a building that is already a landmark in the city of London. Just like the previous books, the materials are mostly unpublished, retrieved thanks to the process of saved catalogues from the archives of Renzo Piano Foundation. The story of the project evolves from the first visit to the site at the inauguration, through sketches, drawings, models, notes and memories of Renzo Piano. It becomes a sort of travel journal, immediate and powerful.