2008-03-20

Eiffel Tower Remix

UPDATE March 30: It was declared that the design proposal was a fake!

Next year will be the 120th anniversary of the Tour Eiffel. To celebrate this event and to heighten its already massive tourist draw the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel has asked several architects to come up with some flashy ideas.
This is the temporary re-design proposal by SERERO, a french group of architects and I hope it gets build (just to see purists foaming at the mouth)!
Their plan it so to extend and enlarge the top platform from 280 to 580 square meters.
The additional platform will be a high performance carbon Kevlar structure that will be attached to the existing structure without further modification.
After the celebration is over, the 3-piece structure will be dismantled and the tower will return to its former, iconic look.
I love this idea, and find the design very beautiful and daring. Of course it is a bit questionable to celebrate the greatness of 19th century architecture by attaching a new, state of the art platform to it which basically alters the perception and design of the tower. But I think its a great statement and people who wish to jump from the top platform might even find it a bit easier then.
Speaking of "I fell towers": The SERERO design reminds me of another iconic structure, the Parachute Jump Tower at Coney Island, New York. It was built in 1939 and offered daring passengers the chance to experience a controlled, seated parachute jump from a hight of ca. 80 m.
The parachute jump is closed and abandoned since 1968. It is listed as a landmark and there is constant but fruitless planning to re-open it with modern ride technology.

The Eiffel Tower renderings are taken from the SERERO website.
The Parachute Jump picture is taken from Wikipedia

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