Brighton i360
Observation tower in Brighton, East Sussex / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Brighton i360[2] is a 162 m (531 ft) moving observation tower on the seafront of Brighton, East Sussex, England at the landward end of the remains of the West Pier.[3] The tower opened on 4 August 2016.[4] From the fully enclosed viewing pod, visitors experience 360-degree views across Brighton, the South Downs and the English Channel.
Brighton i360 | |
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General information | |
Status | Completed |
Type | Observation tower |
Location | Brighton & Hove |
Country | England |
Coordinates | 50.8214°N 0.1507°W / 50.8214; -0.1507 |
Groundbreaking | 29 July 2014[1] |
Estimated completion | Summer 2016 |
Opening | 4 August 2016 |
Cost | £46.2 million |
Height | 162 m (531 ft) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | David Marks and Julia Barfield |
Architecture firm | Marks Barfield |
Structural engineer | Jacobs Engineering |
Main contractor | Hollandia Infra BV |
Website | |
brightoni360 |
Brighton i360 was designed, engineered, manufactured and promoted by the team responsible for the London Eye.[5] The attraction cost £46 million, with £36 million being funded by a Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) loan through Brighton and Hove city council.
Formerly known as the "British Airways i360", the project originally aimed to attract 739,000 paying customers every year.[5] The owner of the site, the West Pier Trust, hoped in 2014 that a successful i360 would lead to the rebuilding of the historic West Pier.[6] Visitor numbers never reached those projected and, in December 2022, the i360 defaulted on the debt it owed the council.[7] By June 2023, the i360's debt to the Council was more than £48 million.[8]