Sydney Tower

Sydney Tower
Sydney Tower as of 2009
Alternative names	Sydney Tower, AMP Tower, Westfield Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint
General information
Type	Observation and communications tower
Location	Sydney, Australia
Coordinates	33°52′13.64″S 151°12′32″E
Construction started	1970
Completed	1981
Cost	A$36 million
Height
Antenna spire	309 m (1,014 ft)
Top floor	260 m (853 ft) for Sydney Tower Skywalk
Technical details
Elevator count	3
Design and construction
Owner	Westfield, Operated By Trippas White Group and The Merlin Entertainments Group
Architect	Donald Crone and Associates

Sydney Tower (also known as the Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower or just Centrepoint) is Sydney's tallest free-standing structure, and the second tallest in Australia (with the Q1 building on the Gold Coast being the tallest). It is also the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere (after Auckland's Sky Tower, though Sydney Tower Eye's main observation deck is almost 50 m (164 ft) higher than that of Auckland's Sky Tower). The Sydney Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.

The tower stands 309 m (1,014 ft) above the Sydney CBD, located on Market Street, between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets. It is accessible from the Pitt Street Mall, and sits upon the newly refurbished Westfield Sydney (formerly centrepoint arcade). The tower is open to the public, and is one of the most prominent tourist attractions in the city, being visible from a number of vantage points throughout town and from adjoining suburbs.

Whilst the Shopping centre at the base of the tower is run by the Westfield Group the tower itself is occupied by Trippas White Group (who own and operate Sydney Tower Dining) and Merlin Entertainments (who own and operate the Sydney Tower Eye and Oztrek).

History

Looking up at the tower

Plans for Sydney Tower were unveiled in March 1968. Construction of the office building commenced in 1970, and tower construction began in 1975. Prior to construction of the tower, the height limit in Sydney had been set at 279 m (915 ft), to allow for safe overflights by flying boats.

Public access to the tower began in August 1981. The total cost of construction was A$36 million. In 1998, the addition of a lightning rod to the top of spire extended the tower's overall height to 309 m (1,014 ft), which is 327 m (1,073 ft) above sea level.

While AMP managed the Centrepoint shopping centre, the tower was officially referred to as "AMP Tower". After the Westfield Group took over ownership of Centrepoint in December 2001, the name was changed to Sydney Tower.

In 2009, the base building was closed and stripped for a major refurbishment. This involved the connection of the shopping centre to other arcades and a complete upgrade of all the sites. The shopping centre was progressively reopened from 2010 and was renamed Westfield Sydney. On 25–26 June 2011 the "AMP" banner was removed from the tower and replaced by a large illuminated "Westfield" logo. This was achieved by helicopter after two previous attempts on 22 May and 12 June were aborted due to bad weather.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Merlin Entertainments acquired the rights to operate the observation deck tower and its name was changed to the Sydney Tower Eye.

Structure

The tower at sunset

Closeup view of the top of the tower

Sections

Four sections of the tower are open to public, three being occupied by Sydney Tower Dining. 1 360 Bar and Dining (360) is located on level One of the Sydney Tower. 360 is a restaurant space that has revolving views of the Sydney skyline, dark mahogany wood finishes and soft ambient lighting. Sydney Tower Buffet (STB) is located on the tower's second level. STB is a contemporary self-select restaurant that has banquet-style dining, with about 40 dishes on offer, including seafood, modern Australian, Italian, Chinese Japanese and Thai. Sky Venue, located on level Three, is the highest event space in the southern hemisphere. It can cater for cocktail functions for 200 people and 170 sit-down guests.

The observation deck, currently called the Sydney Tower Eye, is located on level Four of Sydney Tower. To access this level, visitors can buy a pass from the operating company or can pay at the gate. The pass allows them to visit other Sydney attractions including Wild Life Sydney and the Sydney Aquarium. The Sydney Tower Eye is located 250 m (820 ft) above ground level. It has a fully enclosed viewing platform featuring 360-degree views of the city and surrounding areas. This floor also houses a small gift shop, multilingual touchscreens and a readout that displays data about the wind speed, direction and sway amplitude of the tower. On 23 September 2011, a 4-D cinema was opened on the observation deck.

Skywalk is an open-air, glass-floored platform encircling the Sydney Tower Eye at a height of 268 m (879 ft) above ground level. The moving viewing platform extends over the edge of the main structure of the deck. It was opened on 18 October 2005, cost A$3.75 million to construct, took four years to design and two months to build. It uses approximately 2,000 sections of steel and 4,376 nuts and bolts. This platform is only accessible as part of planned and booked tours.

Details

The tower has a maximum capacity of 960 people. Travel from the ground to the tower is via three high speed double-deck lifts that reach the observation deck in approximately 40 seconds if on maximum speed, which depends on wind conditions at the time.

Cultural events

Leading up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the tower was decorated with sculptures of athletes (an athlete rising from starting blocks, a gymnast performing a handstand, and a wheelchair basketball player passing the ball) which were positioned above the main body of the tower and in some cases overhung the edges. These sculptures were removed in 2003 and relocated to Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush. The figures were placed atop the tower using an Erickson S-64 Aircrane heavy lift helicopter known as "Elvis".

On several occasions, the tower has been used to launch fireworks or it has been illuminated with coloured lights as part of various celebrations in Sydney, such as New Year's Eve or during the Olympics in 2000.

Each year the Sydney Tower Run-up comprises the challenge of running up 1,504 stairs from Pitt Street Mall to the Observation Deck. The event is to raise money for the Cancer Council, and the two winners become eligible to compete in the Empire State Building Run-up.

In popular culture

• In the 2005 Hallmark Channel film Supernova the tower is destroyed by meteors flying from a supernova.
• The tower is featured in the 1995 film Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie where a CGI simulation is used as a weapon by one of the Megazords in the climatic battle before it's rebuilt.
• In the last Japanese Godzilla film, Godzilla: Final Wars, the tower is destroyed when the alien antagonists teleport Zilla (the monster from the late 90s American remake starring Matthew Broderick) into the city. Zilla is later defeated by the real Godzilla, destroying the Sydney Opera House in the process.

360° Panorama from the top of the Sydney Tower and the base of the building

See also

• Australian landmarks
• List of tallest towers in the world
• Hyperboloid structure
  • List of hyperboloid structures

External links

• http://www.sydneytowerdining.com.au
• http://www.sydneytowereye.com.au