The Shard

Last week, The Shard hosted a special pop-up exhibition by Siobhán McAuley, shining a light on the creative talent that exists within our occupier community.

The exhibition offered visitors a rare opportunity to experience the work of an artist whose professional and creative worlds intersect within the building itself. Alongside her artistic practice, Siobhán is part of The Shard community, working as a freelance Ingest MCR Operator and Floor Manager for Al Jazeera.

What do you do when a celebrity guest fears heights? How do you help several couples a night experience a perfect proposal? And what if your chef suddenly needs an ingredient 33 storeys up?

"Act with consistency and curiosity," says Vijay Sanas, General Manager of Hutong, at The Shard.

It’s a philosophy shaped early in his career under Gordon Ramsay, whom Vijay joined in 2011 as a commis chef, an entry-level role in hospitality.

Within just four years, he rose to Restaurant Manager. From there, he went on to lead some of London’s most prominent dining destinations, including Gaucho Piccadilly and Hakkasan Mayfair, and Aqua Shard, a career trajectory that would typically take 15 years.

Office occupiers at The Shard came together last week to celebrate creativity, craftsmanship and connection during a vibrant new Craft Week.

Building on The Shard’s ongoing commitment to fostering a strong sense of community within its vertical city, the week-long programme invited occupiers to step away from their desks and engage in a series of thoughtfully curated workshops led by independent makers and artisans.

Throughout the week, occupiers had the opportunity to explore a diverse range of crafts, each designed to inspire creativity while encouraging interaction between colleagues from across the building.