One Canada Square - Definition and Overview

1 Canada Square building (centre)

Canada Square at an oblique angle

1 Canada Square is the tallest building in London. At 244 metres (800ft) and 50 stories, it is the tallest habitable building in the United Kingdom (although the 330 metre tall Emley Moor television mast near Huddersfield is a taller structure).

It is named after Canada because it was built by the Canadian firm Olympia and York, which was owned by the Reichmann family. In building the Canary Wharf area the company went bankrupt.

The building is commonly known as the Canary Wharf Tower after the Canary Wharf business complex of which it is a part.

In 1996, part of the Canary Wharf complex was attacked by the IRA.

Without warning, in 2002, French urban climber, Alain "Spiderman" Robert, using only his bare hands and feet and with no safety devices of any kind, scaled the building's exterior wall all the way to the top.

See also

• Tall buildings in London