Skyscrapers rising next to vacant towers mark new city of London

Period of change: People outside a bar at the base of the Gherkin. In the city of London, even iconic buildings risk struggling to keep or replace tenants in the premier financial district. — AFP

LONDON: When the Gherkin tower opened 17 years ago, its skyline-defining silhouette heralded a new era in the low-rise city of London. Now, a spate of new planned skyscrapers threaten to erase it from view and from relevance.

As one of the Gherkin’s main residents weighs a move, even iconic buildings risk struggling to keep or replace tenants in London’s premier financial district.