The Shard, designed by renowned Italian Architect Renzo Piano, is an iconic skyscraper located in London, England. Standing an impressive 309.6 metres tall, The Shard is the tallest building in the UK and Western Europe. Construction began in 2009 with practical completion in 2012 and was opened to the public in 2013. The building design is shaped by its 11,000 pieces of glass and a tapering architecture that provides sway tolerance of 400 millimetres.The Shard has 72 habitable stories which is home to high-end tenants such as Shangri-La Hotel, Oblix Bar and Grill, Aqua Shard, and the famous observation deck, The View from The Shard, open to the public on the 72nd floor. The Shard has become a modern-day symbol of crowning architectural achievement and its presence adds a unique vitality to the iconic London skyline.