Lotus Tower
The Lotus Tower, also known as the Colombo Lotus Tower, stands at a height of 351.5 meters in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It has become a symbolic landmark for the country. 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 antenna tower 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. 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.
Location
, near Beira Lake. 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, the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry, the Presidents of China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation and Aerospace Long March International Trade Co. Ltd signed the contract with the Director-General of TRCSL, Anusha Palpita, for the project on 3 January 2012.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.
In December 2014, the tower's construction crossed the milestone and in July 2015, the tower reached.
Design and function
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. The tower's color can be changed by RGB lights.The tower is tall and covers of floor area.
South Asia's most prestigious casino Majestic Pride is located in Lotus tower
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, and will house a variety of tourist attractions.
The tower has four entrances, with two being used as VIP entrances. A telecommunications museum and restaurant are located on the ground floor. The tower podium consists of 6 floors. 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.