A stainless steel skyline: the Nickel Institute entertains at the top of London’s ‘Gherkin’
March 6, 2009 -- Surrounded by some of London’s most famous landmarks, the
Nickel Institute President and four spokespeople today briefed the press on the aims and objectives of the
organisation in the architecture, building and construction (ABC) sector.
The venue was the exclusive surroundings of the landmark Gherkin building’s private dining room. An
impressive 38 storeys above the streets of London’s financial district, the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows
offer a stunning view of the illuminated St Paul’s Cathedral, Lloyds Building and NatWest Tower, making it
the perfect venue to discuss the extensive use of nickel-containing stainless steel in architecture and
construction. In St Paul’s stainless steel is utilised for internal strengthening; Lloyds uses it for its
futuristic façade; while the NatWest uses it for both the exterior and internally, with so much used that it
would stretch to Manchester if laid end-to-end.
The Nickel Institute’s guests for the evening were seven journalists from the metals, architecture and
construction press, all interested in learning more about the contribution of nickel-containing stainless
steel to London’s dramatic skyline. Nickel Institute spokespeople included architectural consultants
Catherine Houska and Martina Helzel, who flew in from Pittsburg and Munich respectively, as well as
structural consultant David Cochrane, Market Support and Development Director, Peter Cutler and, Nickel
Institute President, Steve Barnett.
The aim of the evening was to engage with media specialising in the ABC and metals sector, increasing
awareness of the number of buildings that utilise nickel-containing stainless steel. One of the hot topics
was buildings where stainless steel is not just used aesthetically but to maintain structural integrity. The
most striking example discussed was St Paul’s Cathedral; where a restoration project in the 1920s used
stainless steel to ensure the famous dome, buckling due to subsidence, would stand for another 400 years.
Moving from the historical to the contemporary, one of the most discussed topics was the continuing demand
for stainless steel for use in the latest sky-scrapers and luxury apartment blocks. Inspired by the
surrounding skyline, guests discussed One Canada Square, Britain’s tallest building, faced in stainless
steel, and those that will soon eclipse it, the mighty Leadenhall Building and elegant ‘Shard of Glass’ both
of which will also utilise nickel-containing steel for its aesthetic qualities, strength and durability. Of
course, stainless steel’s durability also makes is ideal for a host of other, perhaps less glamorous,
applications. At the dinner, guests discussed applications as diverse as the countertops in airports and
clothing stores to its use in security applications and prison cells. The key theme was strength and
resistance to wear, leading to low-long term costs and negligible lifetime maintenance, and the finishes
suitable for a huge variety of uses.
Steve Barnett, President of the Nickel Institute, said “The dinner at the Gherkin was an opportunity for me
and other members of the Institute to engage with the media and highlight the contribution that
nickel-containing stainless steel has made to this great city’s skyline. From the Gherkin itself to the many
buildings of the financial district and beyond, London is a shining example of the long-lasting and
aesthetically pleasing applications of the outstanding material.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Stephen Barnett
President
Nickel Institute
E-mail:sbarnett@nickelinstitute.org
Tel: 44 771 734 1432
OR
Visit the Nickel Institute’s Stainless Steel Architecture, Building and Design Portal: www.stainlessarchitecture.org
