Foster + Partners faces court over fatal window fall from London high-rise

British studio Foster + Partners is set to stand trial over alleged health and safety failings at The Corniche towers in London, after a man was killed in 2018 by a window pane that fell from the building’s penthouse.

Charges were brought against Foster + Partners, developer St James Group, contractor Lindner Prater, and engineering consultant Wintech for exposing people to risks related to “the outward opening penthouse window vents”, reported the BBC.

The companies will stand trial at Inner London Crown Court on 6 July for failing to discharge a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Foster + Partners pleads not guilty

Mick Ferris, 53, died on 2 October 2018 while passing by the 85-metre-high Corniche high-rise, after he was hit by a window pane that fell from the building’s penthouse. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency services.

“Foster + Partners continues to plead not guilty in this case,” a spokesperson from Foster + Partners told Dezeen. “Our thoughts, of course, remain with Mr Ferris’ family, as they have since October 2018.”

“As this case is subject to ongoing legal proceedings, we are unable to comment further.”

The Corniche had only been recently completed when the window pane that struck Ferris came loose.

The building had been redesigned following a similar, but non-fatal, incident in August 2017, when a casement window fell from an upper floor during construction.

Situated on the Albert Embankment, the development is made up of two clusters of towers that range from 15 to 27 storeys, with curved windows and balconies overlooking the River Thames.

It contains 253 apartments, offices, a residents’ bar, gym, pool and spa, and is topped by two triplex apartments that feature double-height atriums and curving glass walls.

Foster + Partners recently completed a 423-metre-tall supertall skyscraper in New York City for JPMorganChase, and its Central Crossing skyscrapers topped out at 160 metres in Hong Kong.

In London, the studio is designing a memorial dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, which will feature a glass bridge spanning a lake in St James’s Park.

The photo of The Corniche is courtesy of Shutterstock.

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