The Shard, also referred to as the
Shard London Bridge and formerly
London Bridge Tower, is a 72-storey mixed use development supertall skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, that forms part of The Shard Quarter development. Standing 309.6 metres high, The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, and the seventh-tallest building in Europe, the second-tallest outside Russia, only 40cm less than the Varso Tower in Warsaw. It is also the second-tallest free-standing structure in the United Kingdom, after the concrete tower of the Emley Moor transmitting station. The Shard replaced Southwark Towers, a 24-storey office block built on the site in 1975.