Lotus Tower

Lotus Tower (Sinhala: නෙළුම් කුළුණ; Tamil: தாமரைக் கோபுரம்), also referred to as Colombo Lotus Tower, is a 351.5 m (1,153 ft) tall tower, located in Colombo, Sri Lanka.[1][2] It has been called a symbolic landmark of Sri Lanka.[3] As of 2019, the tower is the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia; the second tallest structure in South Asia after the guy-wire-supported INS Kattabomman in India; the 11th tallest tower in Asia and the 19th tallest tower in the world.[3][4] It was first proposed to be built in the suburb of Peliyagoda but later the Government of Sri Lanka decided to change the location.[5] The lotus-shaped tower is used for communication, observation and other leisure facilities. Construction is estimated to have cost US$113 million.[6]

Lotus Tower
Nelum Kuluna
නෙළුම් කුළුණ
தாமரைக் கோபுரம்
Thaamarai Kopuram
Lotus Tower in 2018
Lotus Tower is located in Central Colombo
Lotus Tower
Location in Central Colombo
Lotus Tower is located in Sri Lanka
Lotus Tower
Lotus Tower (Sri Lanka)
Lotus Tower is located in Asia
Lotus Tower
Lotus Tower (Asia)
Lotus Tower is located in Earth
Lotus Tower
Lotus Tower (Earth)
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeMixed use:
LocationColombo, Sri Lanka
Coordinates6°55′37″N 79°51′30″E
Completed15 September 2019
Opened16 September 2022
Height
Antenna spire351.5 m (1,153.2 ft)
Technical details
Floor count13
(6 in base, 7 in flower)
Lifts/elevators8
Website
https://colombolotustower.lk/

Location

After an initial decision to construct the tower within the confines of a suburb of the country's economic capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka's government announced their plans to shift the location to the heart of the city. Therefore, the tower's location is on the waterfront of the Beira Lake.

Construction

With the witness of the President of Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry, the Presidents of China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation (CEIEC) and Aerospace Long March International Trade Co. Ltd (ALIT) signed the contract with the Director-General of TRCSL, Anusha Palpita, for the project on 3 January 2012.[7]

The project commenced during the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapakse and the construction began on 20 January 2012 following a foundation stone-laying ceremony. The site is located on the waterfront of Beira Lake and alongside a part of the D. R. Wijewardene Mawatha.[8]

In December 2014, the tower's construction crossed the 125 m (410 ft) milestone and in July 2015, the tower reached 255 m (837 ft).

Design and function
Lotus tower and Beira Lake at night 2023

The design of this building is inspired by the Lotus flower. The lotus symbolizes purity within Sri Lankan culture and is also said to symbolize the country's flourishing development. The tower base is inspired by the lotus throne and will also be formed by two inverted trapezoidal.[3] The tower's color can be changed by to RGB lights.[9]

The tower is 350 m (1,150 ft) tall and covers 30,600 m2 (329,000 sq ft) of floor area.[10]

Lotus Tower's main revenue sources is tourism and antenna leasing. It functions as a radio and television broadcasting antenna ISDB-T and proposed DVB-T2 support structure for 50 television services, 35 FM Radio Stations and 20 telecommunication service providers,[11] and will house a variety of tourist attractions .

The tower has four entrances, with two being used as VIP (distinguished guests and state leaders) entrances. A telecommunications museum and restaurant are located on the ground floor. The tower podium consists of 6 floors.[12] The first floor of the podium will accommodate a museum and two exhibition halls. The second floor will be utilised for several conference halls with seating space in excess of 500 people. Restaurants, supermarkets, and food courts will be situated on the third floor. A 1000-seat auditorium will be located on the fourth floor, which will also be used as a ballroom. The fifth floor will include luxury hotel rooms, large ballrooms, and the seventh floor will host an observation gallery. The landscaping is planned in the form of a large water park.[13][14][15]

Lotus Tower

Transport hub

The Colombo Monorail, which was a proposed monorail system in Colombo, and the BRT system were to converge at a common 'multi-modal hub' located in close proximity to the Lotus Tower, making the tower a major city center. The Monorail was canceled in 2016, and both, a light rail will be constructed in Malabe.

Controversy

During the opening ceremony, which was held on 16 September 2019, President Maithripala Sirisena at a ceremonial speech mentioned and claimed an allegation on a scam regarding an advance of 2 billion rupees which was given to an approved company ALIT in 2012 by the then government, was later revealed in 2016 that such a company did not exist. However, this was later proven to be false as ALIT was in fact the acronym of the Chinese state-owned Aerospace Long-March International Trade Co. ALIT denied receiving the payment claiming that the entire amount was paid to the China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation (CEIEC) as had ALIT left the project. It also noted that the TRC paid $15.6 million (2 billion rupees) into CEIEC's account in Exim Bank in October 2012, the same amount which Sirisena claims to have been "misappropriated" by ALIT.[16][17]

Lotus Tower Observation Deck
  • Lotus Tower from Pettah Floating Market in 2023
    Lotus Tower from Pettah Floating Market in 2023
  • View of the Colombo City through the Pink-tinted glass of the Banquet Hall on the Fourth Floor
    View of the Colombo City through the Pink-tinted glass of the Banquet Hall on the Fourth Floor
  • Inside of the Banquet Hall on the Fourth Floor with Pink-tinted glass
    Inside of the Banquet Hall on the Fourth Floor with Pink-tinted glass

See also

References
  1. "Lotus Tower – The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  2. "Foundation stone laid for Lotus Tower". Archived from the original on 9 March 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  3. "Symbolic landmark of Sri Lanka: Lotus Tower (Nelum Kuluna)". Sunday Observer. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  4. "≡ 31 Tallest Towers in the World List. Best Structures 2023". adducation.info. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  5. "Colombo to get 350 m high multifunctional communication tower soon". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  6. "A 1,155-feet tall Sri Lankan tower and its China connection: Explained". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  7. CEIEC Signed the Contract of Colombo Lotus Tower Project, CEIEC.com News. Retrieved 3 January 2012
  8. Colombo Lotus Tower – Minister Basil Rajapakse Lays Foundation Stone, TRCSL Press. Retrieved 20 January 2012
  9. "Lotus tower lights up - Caption Story | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  10. "Lotus Tower in Colombo". Akathy. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  11. "Chinese contractor puts India at ease; Dispute over Colombo Lotus Tower". The Island. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  12. LBO (16 September 2019). "Lotus Tower, tallest in South Asia to open today". Lanka Business Online. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  13. "Tallest in South Asia". Development LK. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  14. "Colombo Lotus Tower Project Contract Signing Ceremony". TRCSL Press. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  15. "Lotus Tower Colombo Sri Lanka | Official Site". Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Pvt) Ltd. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. "China firm vanishes with billions in Sri Lanka Lotus Tower scam". EconomyNext. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  17. "China's ALIT rejects Sri Lanka leader's graft allegation". Reuters. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
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