Fryscraper (fry + skyscraper)
A “fryscraper” (fry + skyscraper) is a tall building that reflects the sun’s heat, “frying” objects at a certain distance away from it. In 2013, the building under construction at 20 Fenchurch Street, in London, melted parts of a Jaguar sports car that was parked in front of it. The name “fryscraper” appeared on Twitter on September 3, 2103, at 5:55 a.m.
The building—previously nicknamed “Walkie-Talkie” because of its looks—has also been nicknamed “Walkie-Scorchie” and “Walkie-Torchie.”
Wikipedia: 20 Fenchurch Street
20 Fenchurch Street is a commercial skyscraper under construction on Fenchurch Street in central London. It has been nicknamed The Walkie-Talkie and The Pint because of its distinctive shape. Upon completion in 2014 the building will be 160 m (525 ft) tall with 37 storeys.
Costing over £200 million, it is designed by architect Rafael Viñoly and will feature a highly distinctive, top-heavy form which appears to burst upward and outward. A large viewing deck and ‘sky gardens’ will be included on the top three floors; these will be open to the public.
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Criticisms
In addition to concerns raised before the final approval of construction of 20 Fenchurch Street over the impact on views of surrounding historical sites, the project became widely publicised during the summer of 2013 when it was reported that the reflection of sunlight off the unusually-shaped building was generating a beam of light up to six times brighter than direct sunlight shining onto the streets beneath. The reflection reportedly damaged vehicles parked nearby, including one on Eastcheap whose owner was paid £946 by the developers for repairs to melted bodywork, leading the media to dub the building the “Walkie-Scorchie” and “Fryscraper”.
Twitter
Peter Diapre
@skybod
@martinstolliday @jameschappers @joelhillssky Fryscraper?
5:55 AM - 3 Sep 13
Twitter
Samira Shackle
@samirashackle
Architect behind melty walkie talkie built a burning hot building before, in Vegas. ‘Fryscraper’ is my new fave word http://www.businessinsider.com/architect-behind-the-walkie-talkie-building-2013-9 …
12:34 AM - 4 Sep 13
CBS This Morning
London’s “fryscraper” melts cars
September 4, 2013 7:35 AM
A 37-story London skyscraper is reflecting sunlight off its surface, melting cars in the streets below. Charlie D’Agata reports.
Twitter
Vezquex
@Vezquex
fryscraper (noun) Portmanteau of “fry” and “skyscraper”. A skyscraper that focuses sunlight into a death ray.
12:42 AM - 5 Sep 13
Bloomberg.com
London’s Walkie-Talkie ‘Fryscraper’ Draws Crowds in Heat
By Chris Spillane & Eshe Nelson - Sep 6, 2013 9:02 AM ET
For the next three weeks, Londoners and tourists will have the chance to marvel at the city’s latest attraction: A beam of light so hot it melted parts of a Jaguar sports car and sparked a fire at a local barber shop.
On the hottest September day in seven years, office workers and tourists jostled for space yesterday on Eastcheap in the City of London financial district to see the curved 37-story Walkie Talkie skyscraper focus a ray of light that was measured at more than 110 degrees Celsius (230 degrees Fahrenheit).
Business Insider
Architect Behind London’s ‘Fryscraper’ Blames Outside Consultants For Building’s Car-Melting Deathray
Rob Wile Sep. 6, 2013, 11:08 AM
Rafael Viñoly, the architect who designed the skyscraper currently frying eggs and melting cars on a London street, says the building’s glitch is not his fault.
Architecture magazine BDOnline’s Andrea Klettner reports that Viñoly is instead blaming an army of consultants that he says have invaded the architecture profession, needlessly complicating the design process: ...