20 Fenchurch Street, London

Rafael Vinoly Architects 150m high tower provides 60,000sqm of office, retail and public space. The top-heavy design maximises floor space towards the top of the building where rents are typically higher and has earned the nickname the ‘Walkie-Talkie’. GIA consulted to address Solar Glare: a phenomenon occurring in the eye caused by the presence of bright light sources within the visual field. Any highly-glazed building could generate glare making it a hazard for road users and train drivers, sometimes even disabling vision so much that objects become hard or impossible to see.

Solar reflections reduce visibility and may increase the risk of accidents. Solar Glare assessments show reflections that are geometrically possible, whilst quantifying if these reflections are intense enough to cause glare.