Tower 42 (The Natwest Tower)

Here, you can explore many of Will Pearson’s images that feature the Natwest Tower (Tower 42).

Designed by Richard Seifert and constructed by John Mowlem & Co (now Carillion Plc) Tower 42 – commonly known as the NatWest Tower was completed in 1980. Richard Seifert, who also designed Centre Point on London’s Tottenham Court Road, was highly influential in shaping London’s architecture through the 1960’s and 70’s.

For 10 years following construction it was the tallest building in London. Viewed from above the building forms the shape of the NatWest Bank logo. Located at 25 Old Broad Street, the Tower was extensively damaged by the Bishopsgate bombing in 1993. Demolition was considered but instead the building was completely refurbished both internally and externally.

Once the tallest, Tower 42 is now dwarfed by the buildings around it.

Click any of the thumbnails below to be taken to Will Pearson’s images featuring the Natwest Tower.

Roseate London

The view in this image encompasses so much of the London skyline and many of its iconic buildings. To the left, you have the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. The London Eye with Buckingham Palace nestled behind it within St James’ Park. Move along the Thames to cross the city into the centre of…
Bishopsgate Rising

Documenting the City of London’s skyline is a project I envision taking the rest of my life. The changes have built pace so much over the last decade. Shooting medium format allows me to capture beautifully sharp images, and see so much of the detail in the scene. Nearing completion, 22 Bishopsgate (TwentyTwo) continues to…
London Begins

A London Sunrise Panorama A new day over London, and the sunrise washes over the city. The square mile is drenched in light, the enormous buildings momentarily insubstantial. Usually, it’s the tall buildings that are the heroes of any cityscape. But here, the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court at the British Museum really proclaims its…
Artillery Ground, Evening

This cityscape overlooks a part of the City of London that many of those dashing down the streets of Finsbury will never see. The vibrant green of the Artillery Ground contrasts sharply with the surrounding buildings. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC). The HAC building, Armoury House (not in view here), overlooks the…
City of London Dusk

This gigapixel cityscape captures the City of London at dusk, as the windows light up and the city gets ready to wind down. Any fears about London’s future look utterly unfounded when you look at this skyline. When I started shooting the city the major buildings in this view would have been Tower 42 and…
30 St Mary Axe 360 Panorama, Dawn to Dusk

In this 30 St Mary Axe 360 you can explore the views from one of the City of London’s most iconic buildings. The building commonly known as ‘the Gherkin’ is the 4th tallest in the City of London, behind Tower 42, the Heron Tower and the Leadenhall Building (‘the Cheesegrater’), but still stands out as…
Silvered City

This high resolution cityscape provides views over some of London’s most iconic buildings. After St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower 42 is the grand old lady of tall buildings here, having been first occupied in 1980, with the Lloyds building following in ’86. It seems impossible to think of the City of London now without the Gherkin…
Winter Sun London

View from the roof of the Leadenhall Building looking out over London in the January sun. This is one of the times of day that light and the clouds can alter swiftly, and to capture a high resolution image in the few instants before you lose that special moment where sunlight and cloud concatenate is…
London from The Leadenhall

London is so vast, and such a city of architectural extremes that each new vantage point on high gives a new perspective on the familiar. Even within the square mile, the skyline shifts and provides something new to fascinate. When I first lived in London, Tower 42 was known as the Natwest Tower (the shapes…
Lambent London – View From 30 St Mary Axe

Explore photography from St Mary Axe in high resolution. When setting up a shoot from a tall building, it’s easy to become absorbed in the technicalities. The kit, the back-up in case of equipment failure, the technical process, waiting for the right weather, there’s much to plan for. And then, there are moments of pure…
London’s Skyline

The scale of London can only be truly appreciated from a height. There is no better place in London to do this than from the Shard. This image was shot from the very top of the Shard, 310 metres above London, which is more than 60 metres above the public viewing platform on the 72nd…
Infinitely London

London photos featuring many of London’s most iconic buildings. London’s skyline is constantly changing and this high resolution panorama features two striking new buildings, both close to completion. In the foreground is 20 Fenchurch Street. Its nickname the ‘Walkie Talkie’ can be attributed to its bulging, concave form. Just behind is The Leadenhall Building, rising…
Into The City

Here you can really look into the City – the panorama is incredibly high resolution so whilst you can stay panned back to take in the views over the Barbican to the Heron Tower, Tower 42, The Gherkin at St Mary Axe, the new Rothschilds Bank HQ at St Swithin’s Lane and the Shard, go…
Twilight view from the Shard

Twilight view from the Shard – London’s tallest and most spectacular skyscraper, The Shard at London Bridge. The River Thames sweeps past the illuminated City of London from Tower Bridge past London Bridge to Millennium Bridge and beyond. Many of London’s landmarks are visible in the cityscape, from Canary Wharf to the towering City of…
London In Detail

In this panorama you can view The Shard under construction, with Canary Wharf seemingly just behind it. The level of resolution allows you to zoom in and see an incredible level of detail. Please click the ‘Fullscreen’ button for the best viewing experience and you can further explore the image to find many more of…
Nautical Twilight, City

Panoramic London cityscape at twilight with views over the City of London. The Shard lit up though still under construction can be seen in the far right of the image, with familiar buildings the Gherkin (St Mary Axe), Tower 42 and the Heron Tower in the City of London to the left. The image is…
The Shard London Bridge – Blue Hour

The Shard is one of London’s most exciting buildings. It was completed in 2012, then becoming the tallest building in the European Union. I shot views from the Shard for the developer, and the sheer height of the building has made it one of the most exciting series of cityscapes I have worked on –…
The City of London Illumes

Panorama of London as the City of London skyline starts to light up at dusk. Please click the fullscreen button and then use the ‘+’ button to zoom into the panorama and see it bigger. This panorama is available at a very high resolution (much higher than is shown here), making it ideal for large-scale…
The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich

This panorama shows the views over London from The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The Naval College site was planned out by Sir Christopher Wren for use as a home for retired sailors. Now the Naval College themselves have moved on, the palladian building is used by the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of…