The striking Orbital Tower will stand 120 meters tall, dominating the whole 2012 Olympic site in East London. Anish Kapoor wanted to design an alternative to the standard tower, and his gigantic structure does just that. It’s curves and loops give a soft edge to this gargantuan monster. Hailed as London’s answer the Eiffel Tower, Kapoor’s monument is another attempt to make the site a visitor attraction long after the games.
The colossal tower is being majority funded by steel magnet Lakshmi Mittal, who happens to be the richest man in Europe. In a statement, Mittal said, “This project is an incredible opportunity to build something really spectacular for London, for the Olympic games, and something that will play a lasting role in the legacy of the games.”
Kapoor worked on the project with Cecil Balmond, his friend and one of the worlds leading structural engineers. An influence for the design is the Tower of Babel. The futuristic and fantastical nature of the beast somehow sits well with the mythological qualities the artist wanted to achieve. “There is a kind of medieval sense to it of reaching up to the sky, building the impossible. A procession, if you like. It’s a long winding spiral: a folly that aspires to go even above the clouds and has something mythic about it.” Kapoor told reporters.
While some people may find it bazaar to be investing in a project of such a large scale, especially during a recession, this structure will be a testament to our skill and vision. With the majority being privately funded, why the devil not!
i think this is the most ugly thing created, how can the goverment say that the country is in recession and no money for our people unemployed, old and young yet this monstrosity is valued at 16 million pounds!!! ludicrous…. what is this country coming to, this is not art , my six year old could do better!!!!