Glasgow Tower
| Glasgow Tower | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Observation tower |
| Location | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°51′33″N 4°17′46″W / 55.8592°N 4.2961°WCoordinates: 55°51′33″N 4°17′46″W / 55.8592°N 4.2961°W |
| Completed | 2001 |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 127 m (417 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Richard Horden |
| Structural engineer | Buro Happold |
Glasgow Tower is a free-standing tower located on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland and forms part of Glasgow Science Centre complex. It holds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest tower in the world in which the whole structure is capable of rotating 360 degrees. It has been closed for more than 80% of its life. It re-opened to the general public in July 2014.
At 127 metres (417 ft), the Glasgow Tower is currently the tallest tower in Scotland, and since late 2015 following the demolition of both the Red Road Flats and the Bluevale and Whitevale Towers the structure is now the tallest in all of Glasgow. It holds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest tower in the world in which the whole structure is capable of rotating 360 degrees. The whole structure rests upon a 65-centimetre-diameter (26 in) thrust bearing, and is connected to its foundations by two concentric rings and shock absorbers. The thrust bearing itself rests in a 15-metre-deep (49 ft) caisson. This is to allow the building to rotate under computer control to face into the wind. The tower has two lifts each with a 12-person capacity, but for reasons of comfort, this is normally limited to 6 guests plus a single member of staff. There is also an emergency staircase, comprising 523 stairs from the Cabin level to the Podium.
The tower has been plagued by safety and engineering problems throughout its history. It missed its opening date in 2001. Problems with the Nigerian-made thrust bearing on which it rotates led to it being closed between February 2002 and August 2004. On 30 January 2005, ten people were trapped in the lifts and the rescue took over five hours to complete. Following the incident, the tower re-opened on 21 December 2006.
In September 2007, a charity abseil event was held on Glasgow Tower.
In August 2010 the tower closed again due to "technical issues stemming from its original design".
As of June 2013[update] the tower's website states that "at present the Tower is closed to the public due to maintenance and renovation". The Centre states that 65,000 people have climbed the tower during its periods of operation.
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