After years of sitting empty, one of London’s most iconic modern buildings is getting a second act.

Formerly home to the Greater London Authority, the landmark building at 110 The Queen’s Walk, known to most as the old City Hall is undergoing a major transformation. Once a hub for politics and policy, the glass-fronted dome is being reimagined as a mixed-use destination, with new plans for open-plan office space, cafés, restaurants, retail, and a street-level market hall beside the famous Scoop amphitheatre.

Planning permission was granted by Southwark Council in 2024, and the project is now picking up pace. The building’s distinctive diagrid glass panels, a signature feature of the Foster + Partners design are being stripped away to make room for balconies, terraces and urban greenery, part of a bold redesign led by international architects Gensler. Their vision is to make the site more open, sustainable and inclusive  with a focus on reuse, biodiversity and material circularity.

Originally opened in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II, the building was home to three mayors Ken Livingstone, Boris Johnson, and Sadiq Khan, before being vacated in 2021 as a cost-saving measure. It’s had its share of nicknames (the “glass testicle” and “glass gonad” among them), but this next chapter looks to ground the site in something more functional  and more connected to the local community.

While an official reopening date hasn’t been announced, the direction is clear: what was once a closed-off space of political power is being opened up to the public blending architecture, commerce and culture on one of SE1’s most recognisable riverfront sites.

As always, we’ll be keeping an eye on how the changes unfold.

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