| 8 Bishopsgate | |
| Alternate Names: | The Jenga, Prussian Blue, 150 Leadenhall Street, 6–8 Bishopsgate |
| Location: | 8 Bishopsgate, City of London EC2N 4BQ |
| Coordinates: | 51.5145°N -0.0834°W |
| Start Date: | 2019 |
| Completion Date: | 2023 |
| Building Type: | Office |
| Architectural Style: | Contemporary modern |
| Height: | 204m (669feet) |
| Floor Count: | 51 |
| Elevator Count: | 8 |
| Architecture Firm: | WilkinsonEyre |
| Developer: | Mitsubishi Estate Stanhope plc[1] |
| Structural Engineer: | Arup[2] |
| Services Engineer: | Arup |
| Website: | 8bishopsgate.com |
8 Bishopsgate (sometimes referred to as 'the Jenga') is a 51-storey, 204metre tall commercial skyscraper located in the City of London financial district. When it opened in 2023, it was the 11th-tallest building in London. Situated on the corner of Bishopsgate and Leadenhall Street, it neighbours two taller skyscrapers, 122 Leadenhall Street and 22 Bishopsgate. It has a free viewing gallery on the 50th floor.
The current skyscraper replaced 6–8 Bishopsgate,[3] a 79m (259feet) tall office building that was the headquarters of Barings Bank up until the bank collapsed in 1995. Barings Bank had been based at 8 Bishopsgate since 1806, the building undergoing several expansions and refurbishments up until it was replaced by a high-rise. Designed by GMW Architects, construction started in 1977 and took four years. The building opened in 1981 and was in use until 2019.
The original contested scheme for 8 Bishopsgate was submitted in 2015.[4] The skyscraper was designed to be 'visually striking', incorporating high-quality warm building materials such as wood and marble to welcome visitors inside.
The building was constructed as part of a wave of high-rise development in the Bishopsgate area, caused by growing demand for office space in the City of London.[5]
Demolition work on the previous buildings began in mid-2018, with construction work beginning on the new building in 2019.[6] The skyscraper, sometimes called "the Jenga" due to its jumble of boxes, opened in 2023,[7] and includes a free viewing platform, The Look Out, located on the 50th floor.[8] [9]