The “Walkie-Talkie” and the “Inside-Out Building” are two of the most iconic buildings in the City of London.
The Walkie-Talkie, the one in the background, is famous for its “death ray” — its concave glass concentrated sunlight so intensely that it literally melted the street below; at its peak the beam was shown to be 15 times stronger. The façade was reworked afterwards and shading was added.
The Lloyd’s building, or “Inside-Out Building,” on the right of the photo, is an icon of 1980s high-tech. Its staircases, lifts, toilets, pipes and part of its building services are all on the outside, to leave more room within. It was also the first to use glass lifts of this kind.