568 replies to this topic

[daveypodmore]

London 2012: new Olympics structure would 'rival Eiffel Tower'
A £15 million monument at London’s Olympic park is to be constructed under plans from Boris Johnson, the capital’s mayor, to rival the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The mayor is said to have described the plans as "stunning". The structure would be built at the Stratford, east London site and be funded by Lakshmi Mittal, Britain’s richest man. One early design shows a 400ft construction that resembles a cross between a Native American totem pole and a pylon, reports suggested.

The structure, part of a cultural programme planned to celebrate the 2012 Olympics, would be lit at night and powered by solar panels.
It is understood that five shortlisted artists, including the former Turner prize winner Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley, the designer of the Angel of the North, are being considered by a panel to be commissioned for the work.
Despite the mayor previously pledging in his mayoral manifesto to crack down on tall buildings, describing London’s skyline as “precious”, sources say the project would be “stunning”.
A source close to Mr Johnson reportedly said: “He wants to build something quite stunning in its ambition, like the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty — a tribute to London that people will fall in love with.”
A friend Mr Mittal, 59, added: “He loves living in London and wants to give something back to the city.
“The Olympics are obviously a very important event and he wants to be able to contribute to a legacy project that people will be able to enjoy for many years to come.”
Critics, however, said the project was likely to be compared with the “wedding cake” that Mussolini completed in Rome or the 250ft gold statue that was commissioned by Saparmurat Niyazov, a former Turkmen dictator, to rotate to face the sun.
Brian Sewell, the art critic, Britain was already “littered with public art of absolutely no merit”.
“We are entering a new period of fascist gigantism. These are monuments to egos and you couldn't find a more monumental ego than Boris.”
A spokesman for Mr Johnson told the Sunday Times: “The mayor is keen to see stunning, ambitious, world-class art in the Olympic Park and has been working with the Olympic Delivery Authority over many months to explore a series of commissioning projects.
“He is also in touch with prominent figures in the art establishment and philanthropists about taking these forward and getting private backing.
“This work is at an early stage and details will be announced when the projects are confirmed.”
The winning sculpture is likely to be announced within the next fortnight

[4gamesandcounting]

I think this is great news - The Olympic Park will really benefit from it - I'm really pleased.

[daveypodmore]

[RobH]

Hmmm, I don't much like the idea of a tall strcuture overshadowing the cauldron tower by the stadium which ought to be the centrepiece of the park, towering over everything else.

Perhaps after the Games, during the transformation of the park, there's an argument for this, but I'm not convinced at the moment.

[4gamesandcounting]

Quote

Hmmm, I don't much like the idea of a tall strcuture overshadowing the cauldron tower by the stadium which ought to be the centrepiece of the park, towering over everything else.

Perhaps after the Games, during the transformation of the park, there's an argument for this, but I'm not convinced at the moment.

Not necessarily overshadowing. It'll just add to the atmosphere at the Olympic park. Take the Ling Long pagoda in Beijing which looked great.

[RobH]

Maybe, but London will have a cauldron tower rather than the cauldron on the roof of the stadium. I don't know if the dynamics or symbolism would be right if it gets dwarfed by a larger tower structure.

Imagine the camera panning out on the stadium, with the magnificent cauldron tower next to it, then it pans out further and the cauldron tower is made to look small and insignificant by Boris' newest project which is similarly shaped and proportioned? Nah, not convinced by this at all.

Edited by RobH, 25 October 2009 - 03:51 PM.

[baron-pierreIV]

daveypodmore, on Oct 25 2009, 08:21 PM, said:

Yikes!!

WHy don't they put that in the middle of the Stonehenge circle?

I think it would fit there more.

[Stu]

This looks like Christmas has come early to London's Olympic Park

..... or did they forget to take down one of the electricity pylons?

I'm all for Anish Kapoor designing something though - his current exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts is spectacular!

[daveypodmore]

This is just one proposal, I aint a fan I have to say, not of this design anyways.

[oakydoky]

I'm not a fan either. I think it looks hideous.

Something more sculptural would be more aesthetically pleasing in my opinion.

Here's a sculpture Santiago Calatrava designed for Barcelona 1992:


Or even a giant land sculpture:

Here's something I think would look cool in the park:

Sculpture by Zaha Hadid: