Centre Point Tower
Sydney Tower Eye
What is it?
Sydney Tower is Sydney's tallest free-standing structure, and the second tallest in Australia (with the Q1 building on the Gold Coast being the tallest). It is also the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. The name Sydney Tower has become common in daily usage, however the tower is also known as the Sydney Tower Eye, AMP Tower, Westfield Centrepoint Tower, Centrepoint Tower or just Centrepoint. The Sydney Tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.
Why was it Built? & Costing
Sydney Centre point Tower was built to withstand earthquakes and adverse wind conditions. Furthermore, it is reinforced by 56 cables that add more stabilizing ability to the tower.
It costed $36million to construct
Who Built it? & Construction
Concrete Construction, the tower was conceived in 1968 by the architect Donald Crone. His first designs were reputedly scribbled on the back of a napkin. Work began on the tower and its associated retail and commercial centre in 1970, with the first series of shops opening in 1972. The tower itself was completed and opened in 1981.
The construction of Sydney Tower is an interesting tale of engineering and quality construction. Pre-made individual barrel units formed the shaft of the tower and the four levels of the turret structure were constructed at the base of the shaft and raised to the top as work progressed. The shaft supporting the turret is made up of 46 barrels units, each weighing 27 tonnes. These were brought on to the site in seven pieces and welded together. Once the first three sections were in place, a gantry crane was erected to hoist the remaining 43 barrel units. Each barrel unit was completed with lift rails, stairwells and hydraulic risers before hoisting. The shaft contains two sets of fire stairs, fire, electrical and plumbing ducts in one half and the lift shafts in the remainder. Once the tower structure was complete, the spire was erected. This was done in two parts, by placing one half and then lifting the top section onto the bottom section. The crane did not have the reach to lift the spire from the top, so it was lifted from the side. This was achieved despite the difficulties of maintaining adequate balance.. The tower itself is firm by 56 cables that stabilise the tower, and if the strands of these cables were laid end to end, they would reach from Sydney to Alice Springs or from Sydney to New Zealand . They are attached from the underside of the tower through the roof of the building below and into bedrock
Turret
construction on Turret
Body
finishing off
End
finished construction