Indian-origin architect Anish Kapoor designed Olympic tower to attract 1m visitors a yr
January 7th, 2011 - 4:58 pm ICT by ANI
London, Jan 7 (ANI): London Olympic officials have said Indian-origin architect Anish Kapoor designed the 114 metre tall ArcelorMittal Orbit tower that would be located by the Olympic Stadium in East London to target a million visitors a year.
According to The Guardian, under the terms of the invitation to tender launched today, companies will be invited to operate the attraction on a lease of around 10 years.
The paper quoted Andrew Altman, the Chief Executive of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), as saying that he believes it could generate up to 10 million pound a year in revenue through ticket sales, catering, private functions, retail and merchandise. Under a profit share scheme, a proportion will go back into the upkeep of the park and staging events.
“You’ve got two platforms at 80 metres high that will have gallery space, café space, banqueting space. There could be corporate use, community use, a gallery. It will be different in the daytime and the night time. And it also has to tell the story of the engineering of it and it can also be a part of telling the story of the Olympics,” Altman added.
Besides, the supporters of the structure are hoping that it would become as iconic as the Eiffel Tower.
However, critics have warned that it would destroy the vistas over the Park, as it towers over its neighbouring structures, and come to be seen as a monument to the Johnson’s hubris.
Negating such worries, Altman said that the attraction would help differentiate the more urban south end of the Park, where open air canal-side plazas will host concerts and festivals, from the leafier north end where thousands of new family houses will be built.
He added that he the OPLC had received backing from the coalition government for what has been called the most important regeneration project of the next 25 years. (ANI)
- Orbit tower unveiled in London's Olympic park - May 12, 2012
- Indian artist's house in London occupied by protesters - Jun 22, 2012
- ArcelorMittal Orbit inspires Indian child artists in Britain - Jul 24, 2012
- Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor's design chosen for landmark 2012 sculpture - Apr 01, 2010
- Indian touch to Olympic arts in London (With Image) - Jul 19, 2012
- Prohibitive ticket prices keep Indian diaspora off Olympics opening - Jul 24, 2012
- Olympic rings launched on Thames - Feb 29, 2012
- Sonia Gandhi inaugurates Anish Kapoor retrospective at NGMA - Nov 27, 2010
- Britain's Anish Kapoor's exhibition in Delhi, Mumbai - Nov 03, 2010
- Eiffel Tower evacuated over bomb scare - Dec 10, 2011
- Brit Indian architect told to take Olympic tower back to drawing board - Aug 11, 2010
- West Ham United tipped to beat Tottenham Hotspur in London Olympic Stadium bid - Feb 10, 2011
- Committee deciding on Olympic Stadium bid says it needs more time - Jan 25, 2011
- UP invites investment for Lucknow IT park - Jun 14, 2012
- Arcelor-Mittal signs $6 bn credit facility agreement - Mar 22, 2011
Tags: andrew altman, canal side, coalition government, east london, eiffel tower, family houses, gallery space, indian origin, legacy company, london jan, neighbouring structures, olympic officials, olympic park, olympic stadium, olympic tower, private functions, profit share, regeneration project, share scheme, story of the olympics