70 St Mary Axe

70 St Mary Axe photography explores a relatively recent addition to the City of London skyline, completed in 2018. At 90 metres tall, the building sits modestly among the surrounding towers, dwarfed by the rapid vertical growth of the area around St Mary Axe. Despite its smaller scale, it holds its own visually through a distinctive curved form that contrasts with the sharper geometry of its neighbours.

The building’s semi-elliptical design was conceived to sit comfortably alongside the Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe. Its soft curves respond directly to the larger building next door, creating a relationship that doesn’t feel competitive. The unusual profile has earned it the informal nickname the Can of Ham, a reference to its unusual shape.

Photographing 70 St Mary Axe often focuses on context rather than dominance. From street level, the building reveals subtle shifts in reflection and tone as light moves across its curved façade. When viewed as part of wider cityscape panoramas, it acts as a visual counterpoint to the surrounding angular towers, adding balance to the skyline rather than competing for attention. Within a dense group of buildings that includes the Leadenhall Building, the Gherkin and newer developments beyond, 70 St Mary Axe plays a quieter role.

In the 70 St Mary Axe photography below, the emphasis is on how the building sits within its surroundings and how its form contributes to the evolving character of this part of the City. The images below explore the building from multiple viewpoints, both in isolation and as part of the wider urban landscape.