Swiss Re Building (The Gherkin)

30 St Mary Axe (formerly known as the Swiss Re Building), informally known as The Gherkin (The Pickle), is a commercial skyscraper in London’s main financial district, the City of London. It was completed in December 2003 and opened in April 2004. The Gherkin has 41 floors and is 180 metres high. Construction was started in 2001 by VBH JV (a joint venture between Hollandia and Victor Buyck). The building has become a recognisable landmark of London and is one of the most widely recognised examples of contemporary architecture in the city. Design development, fabrication and assembly of structural steel for the new headquarters of the reinsurer Swiss Re in London.