30 St Mary Axe

Modern Architecture London, United Kingdom

180 meters tall, better known as "The Gherkin" for its particular architecture and shape, designed by architect Norman Foster and his former associate, Ken Shuttleworth. Opened in 2004, the building stands on former Palace of the Baltic Exchange site, damaged by an IRA bomb in 1992.

The project won the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize as the best new building of a RIBA architect in 2004. Also known as The Swiss Re Tower, Swiss Re Building or Swiss Re Center, from former owner's name. The building was then bought by IVG and Evans Randall in 2007 and, later, in November 2014, it was purchased (for over 900 million euros) by the Safra Group, a large industrial group controlled by the Brazilian banker Joseph Safra.