The very unique gouged building in London

The project is perhaps the most literal example of building around a sight line in London, but it stands as a microcosm of the city’s long tradition of picturesque planning, where buildings have been sculpted by a matrix of invisible ley lines, designed to preserve a range of cherished vistas.

For generations, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral has been the hallowed point to which all else must bow, extending a radial web of protected views across the capital. The system was first developed in the 1930s by Godfrey Allen, then surveyor of St Paul’s, who drew up a grid of height limits around the cathedral, primarily to preserve views from the south bank – many of them from outside his favourite pubs.

April 9, 2025 | 5:00 am