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The Spinnaker Tower is a 170 M (558 Ft ) high Tower situated in Portsmouth , United Kingdom . The tower is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of Portsmouth Harbour , which was supported by a large National Lottery grant. The tower, designed by Local Firm HGP Architects and the engineering consultants Scott Wilson , celebrates Portsmouth's Maritime tradition, a theme central to the design. After several years of delays and a massive budget overspend, it was officially opened on 18 October 2005 , and is expected to draw many new tourists to the area. STRUCTURE The tower, at a height of 170 Metre s (558 Feet ) above Ordnance Datum , is two and a half times the height of Nelson's Column , making it the tallest accessible structure in the United Kingdom outside of London . The tower is visible from miles around Portsmouth, changing the horizon across the south coast. The tower represents sails billowing in the wind, a design accomplished using two large, white, sweeping Steel arcs, which give the tower its distinctive Spinnaker sail design. At the top is a triple observation deck, providing a 320 degree view of the city of Portsmouth , the Langstone and Portsmouth Harbour s, and a viewing distance of 37 Kilometre s (23 Mile s). The Glass Floor is the largest in Europe . This design was chosen from a selection of concept designs through a Vote offered to Portsmouth residents. HISTORY The project began in 1995 , although construction of the tower did not begin until 2001 , and was not completed until 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 , in time for the Millennium celebrations. The tower, originally referred to as the ''Portsmouth Millennium Tower'' was accordingly renamed the ''Spinnaker Tower''. The project was massively over-budget, with an overall cost of £ 35.6 million for the tower alone. Taxpayers were not supposed to fund the tower, but Portsmouth City Council eventually paid £11.1m towards the construction. In March 2004 , Portsmouth Council leader Leo Madden resigned after a highly-critical report into the council's handling of the project and failure to exploit revenue opportunities such as the Millennium and Trafalgar 200 . The tower has also been beset by Health And Safety issues, including large Crack s beneath the observation deck and a malfunctioning external Glass Lift , and Security concerns, with Fathers 4 Justice campaigners and Base Jumpers infiltrating the tower. The tower was dedicated on October 16 , 2005 and opened two days later. On opening day, the Tower's Project Manager , David Greenhalgh, and representatives for Mowlem and Maspero became stranded in the tower's malfunctioning external lift (built by Maspero) for an hour and a half. Abseil ing engineers were called to rescue them. Some, including the franchisee's chief executive, felt it was rather fitting that these particular people had been trapped.... However, once open, the tower was an immediate success, attracting crowds well in excess of expectations to see the unique views, despite only the internal lift being working for the first 7 months. Observation towers in Canada have been similarly successful ( Toronto CN Tower , Calgary , Niagara ) as has, of course, the UK's Blackpool Tower . REFERENCES |
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