The elegant, tapering signature of the Eiffel Tower is to be reshaped, altering the skyline of Paris, in time for the structure’s 120th anniversary next year, the Société d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (Sete) has just announced.
Serero Architects of Paris has won the competition to redesign the structure’s public viewing platform and reception areas. The winning design (above), which will be 276 metres (905ft) above the ground, will not require any permanent modification of the existing structure. It will double the capacity of the public viewing area on the tower’s top floor.
The new platform will be bolted onto the tower using a web of Kevlar, an extremely strong and lightweight carbon fibre used in the construction of racing cars and body armour. The new platform will use a cantilevered design similar to the way that an aircraft’s wings are attached to the fuselage.
The design is already causing controversy, with critics questioning the wisdom of tinkering with the famous silhouette and spending money on upgrading a tourist attraction which attracts 6.9 million visitors a year.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Sete explained that the plan to restructure the top of the tower aims to increase the quality of access. Average waiting times for the tower’s elevators currently run at more than an hour at peak times.
Gustave Eiffel designed the tower as a temporary structure for the 1889 World’s Fair. Initially rejected by the French public, it is now the most visited fee-charging monument in the world.
These landmarks are identified worldwide for their original construction. People can draw the Eiffel Tower with their eyes closed. Changing it would definitely draw a crowd but kill the nostalgia.:(
I have no strong feelings on this, one way or the other. You old blokes - traditionalists, I may say - will get over it in due course. I have never been there, yet. Will go to Paris whenever I get the chance, will climb up the Eiffel tower and take tonnes of pics, whether it has this additional tourist deck or not will make no difference in my plans. I just hope they don't close the Eiffel tower for construction when I am there. Now, that will be aweful. Some good advanced planning on my part should take care of it, though.
I think the plan is truely short sighted., millions of tourists go there to see 'The Eiffel Tower' not some butterfly winged high tower.. the eiffel tower is not a tourist attraction it is The icon of France,, changing it is a silly idea.. and kills the very purpose for which it is being altered..
The reason I am chuckling at all these oh-my-God-this-is-hideous comments, is because of the irony.
Pls don't forget that when Eiffel tower was originally conceived and built, it **WAS **considered hideous and a monstrosity and a huge safety risk. Parisians actually petitioned the city leaders to move this "eyesore".
Now, this same tower is considered, what, an icon of France, and y'all want it untinkered with. Point being, over time, people got used to the original Eiffel tower, and they will get used to any modifications. Its all aesthetics, anyway, and beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. I'd rather have less wait times in the line. :)
^ Yes, but thing is, if retaining history was important, Eiffel Tower wouldn't be built in the first place. Paris was beautiful as it was, or so I assume, before this ugly steel tower was erected besides the Seine river. We got used to it. We'll get used to it again. :)
By the way, having opinions is fine. Like, personally, I think Eiffel Tower is ugly. Adding another monstrosity to it won't make it much worse. Having said that, its a historical landmark, so people go there regardless. Heck! I'd go there. No body asked our opinion before building it. No body will ask our opinion before adding more ugliness to it. We are mere spectators. And Eiffel Tower has the added history of an acclaimed eye-sore even when it was built. So its case may be different than some other landmarks, like Taj Mahal or Buckingham Palace etc.
The Eiffel Tower has remained exactly the same for 120 years, but this year builders will be attaching a temporary, carbon Kevlar observation deck to its uppermost reaches. French architecture firm Serero will help Paris celebrate the 120th birthday of the tower by more than doubling the floor space at its top. We've got a full frontal tower view below.
The beauty of this addition to the tower is that there will be no modification of the existing tower -- the observation deck will simply be bolted in place. This is one of the most ambitious temporary modification projects ever undertaken.
OH! I wanted to paste a full picture to show the new look but some how my image is not working ;-( When Eiffel was under construction the whole Paris was against that look so the controversy has a long history, The invention of Radio saved the tower other wise it was suppose to be demolished.
( I been there few time, there is a room up there where Eiffel use to work and greet his guest its still open for public, You can see his statue with American President and his daughter in that room.)
^ u can't upoad an image from ur desktop. you'll have to upload it to Gupshup server using the image upload under features in the quickie section..towards the right side..
just paste the code it goves u in your post and the image will show :)
good info abt the tower.. i hope too that it is temporary,,
Who has designed the new … modificattion .. is this another one of HHLs idead …k Rangon k shajar ki khushi mein Eifel tower ko modify kar diya .. aur what stupid ppl who actually want to change something which is already an art in itself and does not require changing …
I better go visit before they change it to any such monstrosity!
