By 1978, Lloyd's was facing the prospect of overcrowding. The Committee commissioned the architect Richard Rogers to redevelop the Leadenhall Street site. In November 1986, the Queen officially opened the new building at One Lime Street, the building that Lloyd's still occupies today.
The internationally-renowned Lloyd’s building was designed by the architect Richard Rogers and took eight years to build. 33,510 cubic meters of concrete, 30,000 square metres of stainless steel cladding and 12,000 square metres of glass were used during the construction.
Since it was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1986, it’s won a string of awards for its post-modern design.
The interior was conceived as a vast open space to allow for a single underwriting area that would accommodate the market of syndicates. Surrounded by six of the 11 galleries, the central atrium rises over 200 feet (60 metres) to a barrel-vaulted glass roof.
The six lower galleries are designed to be flexible; they can be used for the main market activities or as offices, depending on business needs. The remaining six galleries are stepped back from the atrium to reveal the south window.
All services, lifts, lavatories and staircases are ingeniously housed in three main and three secondary towers on the exterior of the building. The 12 external glass lifts were the first of their kind in the UK and offer a fantastic view across the city from inside.
