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Lotus Tower

This article is about the Lotus Tower in Colombo, Sri Lanka. For the Lotus Tower in Yangzhou, China, see Slender West Lake.

Lotus Tower
නෙළුම් කුළුණ
தாமரைக் கோபுரம்
Lotus Tower and Beira Lake at night in 2023
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 / 6.92703°N 79.85828°E / 6.92703; 79.85828
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/

The Lotus Tower (Sinhala: නෙළුම් කුළුණ, romanized: Nelum Kuluna; Tamil: தாமரைக் கோபுரம், romanized: Tāmaraik Kōpuram), also known as the Colombo Lotus Tower, stands at a height of 351.5 meters (1,153 feet) in Colombo, Sri Lanka.[1][2] It has become a symbolic landmark for the country.[3] As of 2019, the tower is the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia and the second tallest overall, behind the guy-wire-supported INS Kattabomman in India. It ranks as the 11th tallest tower in Asia and the 19th tallest tower in the world. Initially, the tower was proposed to be built in Peliyagoda, but the Government of Sri Lanka later decided to change the location.[4] The lotus-shaped structure serves various purposes, including communication and observation, as well as leisure facilities. The estimated cost of construction was approximately US$113 million.[5]

Location

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Colombo 01, near Beira Lake.[6] 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

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Lotus Tower under 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]

This project coordinate by Sri Lankan government 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

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Lotus Tower as seen in 2018

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 trapezoids.[3] The tower's color can be changed by 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]

The Lotus Tower's main revenue sources are 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 [citation needed].

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 accommodates a museum and two exhibition halls. The second floor is utilised for several conference halls with seating space for more than 500 people. Restaurants, supermarkets, and food courts are situated on the third floor. A 1000-seat auditorium is located on the fourth floor, which is also used as a ballroom. The fifth floor includes luxury hotel rooms and large ballrooms, and the seventh floor hosts an observation gallery. The landscaping is planned in the form of a large water park.[13][14][15]

Lotus Tower, as compared to some of the tallest towers around the world

Transport hub

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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

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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]

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Lotus Tower Observation Deck

See also

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References

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  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. ^ a b "Symbolic landmark of Sri Lanka: Lotus Tower (Nelum Kuluna)". Sunday Observer. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Colombo to get 350 m high multifunctional communication tower soon". Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  5. ^ "A 1,155-feet tall Sri Lankan tower and its China connection: Explained". Hindustan Times. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  6. ^ "PJI Setting The Scene". OrthoMedia. 17 June 2022. doi:10.1302/3114-221706. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  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.