Spinnaker Tower

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Spinnaker Tower
Map
Alternative namesMillennium Tower
General information
TypeObservation tower
LocationGunwharf Quays
Portsmouth, England
Construction started2001
Completed2005
Cost£35 million
Height
Antenna spire170 m (560 ft)
Roof110 m (360 ft)
Top floor105 m (344 ft)
Technical details
Floor count4
Lifts/elevators2
Design and construction
Architect(s)HGP Greentree Allchurch Evans
DeveloperThe Millennium Commission
Structural engineerScott Wilson
Halcrow Yolles
Main contractorMowlem
References
[1][2][3]
Spinnaker Tower at night

Spinnaker Tower is a 170-metre (560 ft)–high landmark tower in Portsmouth, England. It is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour, which was supported by a National Lottery grant. Its shape was chosen by Portsmouth residents from a selection of concepts. The tower, designed by local firm HGP Architects and the engineering consultants Scott Wilson and built by Mowlem,[4] reflects Portsmouth's maritime history by being modelled after a sail. After several years of delays and cost overruns, it was opened on 18 October 2005.

Structure

The tower, at a height of 170 m above sea level, is 2+12 times as high as Nelson's Column, making it the tallest accessible structure in the United Kingdom outside London. The tower is visible for miles around Portsmouth, changing the horizon of the area. It can be seen from the Isle of Wight, and even the Manhood Peninsula.

The tower represents sails billowing in the wind, a design accomplished using two large, white, sweeping steel arcs, which give the tower its spinnaker sail design. The steelwork was fabricated by Butterley Engineering. At the top is a triple observation deck, providing a 350° view of the city of Portsmouth, the Langstone and Portsmouth harbours, and a viewing distance of 37 kilometres (23 mi). The highest of the three observation platforms, the crow's nest, has a wire mesh roof, allowing visitors to be in the elements. Windows extend to above head height, so it is not possible to get a view unobstructed by glass. The glass floor is the largest in Europe. The tower has a design lifetime of 80 years.[5]

The design is similar to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, whose structure is a little less than twice as tall at 323 metres (1,060 ft).

History

Planning began in 2000, and construction began 2001, and was completed in mid-2005, due to repeated delays and extra funding requests by the builders Mowlem. This was six years later than the planned opening date of 1999, chosen to coincide with Millennium celebrations. The tower, originally called Portsmouth Millennium Tower, was renamed Spinnaker Tower.

The project was over budget, with an overall cost of £35.6 million for the tower alone. Taxpayers were not meant to fund the tower, but Portsmouth City Council eventually contributed £11.1 million towards construction.

In March 2004, Portsmouth Council's former leader Cllr Leo Madden resigned from leading the Labour Group on the Council after a highly critical report of the council's handling of the project and failure to exploit revenue opportunities, such as the Millennium. Barry Smith, the project's legal advisor, also retired after being suspended on full pay,[6] mostly due to controversy over the contract with the builders, which at one point would have cost the council more to cancel than to complete. In 2009 as Tower Revenues drop the council has again lost out as its income is linked to the tower's profits which have fallen significantly in 2008/9[7]

The tower has had a number of issues since opening, including a malfunctioning external glass lift.[8] During the late construction a protester from the rights group Fathers 4 Justice scaled the tower wearing a high-visibility jacket unfurling a banner in the process.[9] Another incident happened a year later when a base jumper managed to get past site security and base jump off the Spinnaker Tower, he quickly ran off site after parachuting down.[10]

The tower was dedicated on 16 October 2005 and opened two days later. On opening day, the Tower's project manager, David Greenhalgh, and representatives for Mowlem and Maspero were stranded in the tower's malfunctioning external lift (built by Maspero) for an hour and a half. Abseiling engineers were called to rescue them.[11][12][13] Some, including the franchise's chief executive, felt it was rather fitting that these particular people were trapped.[14]

Once open, the tower attracted crowds in excess of expectations, despite only the internal lift working since opening, with over 600,000 people visiting the tower the first year.[15] It is one of a number of observation towers around the world that have become popular, including Vancouver's Harbour Centre, Toronto's CN Tower, Blackpool's Tower and Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower.

In June 2006, the local press raised a concern that the tower may be forced to close. All public buildings in the UK require disabled access under the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. With the external lift inoperative and only the internal lift for disabled access, the tower did not meet this requirement, and the tower operators could be sued under the act.[16] This problem was rectified by investing in an evacuation chair, and training for staff to use it. In the event of evacuation, should the internal lift be inoperable, those unable to navigate the 570 steps can use the evacuation chair.

The original date given for the external lift to be operational was the end of January 2007, although as of November 2011 the external lift is not in service.

The Spinnaker, being a southern landmark features on the BBC South Today news programme. It also features on ITV News.

In June 2009, Tower operators succeeded in gaining permission for a free fall ride to be attached to the Tower.[17] As of 2011 this has only been a plan.

In 2006, the tower won the RICS Project of the year award and the RICS Regeneration award.[18]

Records
Preceded by
Ladywood House
Tallest Structure in the Portsmouth
2005-
170m
Succeeded by

'

Gallery

Events

  • Blue Peter recorded the 2006 Book of the Year Award inside the tower.
  • Four Weddings featured the Spinnaker Tower during an episode, it filmed the wedding ceremony and reception at the tower during Season Two in 2010.

References

  1. ^ Spinnaker Tower at Emporis
  2. ^ "Spinnaker Tower". SkyscraperPage.
  3. ^ Spinnaker Tower at Structurae
  4. ^ Skyscraper News
  5. ^ LUSAS, November 4, 2005. Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth. Retrieved September 17, 2006.
  6. ^ BBC News, 18 October 2005. Spinnaker opens five years late. Retrieved October 18, 2006.
  7. ^ The News (Portsmouth), 9 July 2009. Profits drop at Spinnaker Tower. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  8. ^ BBC News, 20 May 2008. City's troubled tower lift shuts. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
  9. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4136369.stm
  10. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4145808.stm
  11. ^ BBC News, 16 October 2005. Troubled Spinnaker given blessing. Retrieved November 14, 2005.
  12. ^ BBC News, 18 October 2005. Council boss trapped in Spinnaker. Retrieved November 14, 2005.
  13. ^ Portsmouth Today, October 18, 2005. Spinnaker's big day hit by a towering calamity. Retrieved November 14, 2005.
  14. ^ Daily Telegraph, October 19, 2005. Red faces over Portsmouth's showcase project. Retrieved April 28, 2006.
  15. ^ "Spinnaker Tower | Mott MacDonald". Retrieved 2007-10-26.
  16. ^ "Closure threat to Spinnaker Tower". Portsmouth Today. 4 July 2006. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  17. ^ The News (Portsmouth), 29 June 2009. Spinnaker Tower freefall plan approved. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  18. ^ "Portsmouth Spinnaker Tower (Regeneration Winner 2006)". RICS. Retrieved 2007-10-26.[dead link]
  19. ^ Wave 105 Retrieved March 22, 2009.
  20. ^ Annie Nightingale. "Spinnaker Tower show". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  21. ^ "Children In Need: Pudsey up and down the Tower!". BBC Hampshire. November 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2011.

External links