122, The Leadenhall Building
Towering over London’s skyline at 224 metres, The Leadenhall Building is the fifth tallest building in the UK. The skyscraper is part of a growing cluster of landmark developments in the City of London’s financial district, including the Gherkin, 20 Fenchurch Street (the Walkie Talkie), and the Lloyd’s building.
The construction of the Leadenhall Building was a pioneering feat. Instead of using a traditional concrete core, Laing O’Rourke instead employed an external steel frame, more commonly seen in bridges and offshore oil rigs. Consequently, this structural system, which defines a key element of the building’s aesthetic, ranks as the tallest of its kind in the world.
The building’s distinctive wedge-shaped profile was the result of planning constraints: the City of London Corporation required the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Fleet Street to be unobstructed. The resulting slanted form earned it the nickname ‘The Cheesegrater’.
Security, Fire Safety and Integrated Access Control.
The client tasked Allgood with providing an ironmongery package that met stringent performance requirements, ensured fire safety and enabled integration with the building’s access control systems.
To support this, Allgood specified two Redlock variants to address the differing needs across the development. On tenant floors, the 9944P5 solenoid Redlock was used for doors leading into private office suites. The lock’s solenoid control allows external lever handles to be activated only when access is granted, whilst the internal lever operates at all times to guarantee fire egress. As a result, this function was particularly suitable for areas accessed with card readers.
The Modric® range was chosen for its durability and minimalist aesthetic, while also complementing the building’s clean architectural lines. Its satin stainless steel finish therefore provided a consistent and contemporary look across public and private areas, ensuring overall design continuity
The Right Fit for a Demanding Brief
In the general circulation spaces, the 9980P deadlocking night latch offered a robust and mechanically reliable solution. Its anti-thrust bolt and durable components made it ideal for high-traffic service areas subject to frequent use and potential impact, also supporting compliance with EN 12209 and Certifire standards for both timber and metal doors.
These Redlock solutions formed part of a broader ironmongery specification tailored to the demands of an iconic commercial building. Furthermore, by manufacturing the products at Allgood’s Birmingham facility, we supported the project’s sustainability objectives. As a result, the specification supported the project’s sustainability objectives by significantly reducing transport-related carbon emissions and allowing for tight control over production standards and waste.
122 Leadenhall Street was a bold and distinctive addition to London’s skyline. Allgood’s contribution ensured access and security systems used high-performance hardware, offering reliability, visual continuity, and solutions for complex commercial requirements
At 122 Leadenhall Streetl, every lever operates on our patented Quadaxial® rose, which is engineered to perform beyond one million cycles. In other words, it delivers 25 years of reliable, everyday use within the building. Furthermore, the Quadaxial rose has been tested and warranted to handle a minimum of 110 operations per day.
Timeless, Made in Britain. Built to last
Allgood produces over 100,000 products each year and manufactures 25% of its product range in-house. Over 75% of the supply chain operates within 20 miles of Allgood’s Birmingham facility. Additionally, Allgood provides a 25-year manufacturing warranty on product ranges designed to perform for a building’s entire life.
