Peering into the vastness of the Sydney skyline, the Sydney Tower Eye stands tall. It is also known by Sydneysiders as Sydney Tower and Centrepoint Tower. It has been an integral part of the famous Sydney skyline for the past 30 years.
Construction of the Centrepoint shopping centre began in the late 1970s. The first 52 shops opened in 1972. The office component was completed in 1974. The final stage of the complex, the Sydney Tower, opened to the public in September 1981. The total cost of construction was A$36 million.
Designed by Australian architect Donald Crone, the first plans were unveiled in March 1968. Prior to its construction, the height limit in Sydney had been set at 279 m. This allowed for the harbour’s flying boats that were popular before the jet era.
The Sydney Tower is one of the safest buildings in the world. Its striking design allows it to withstand earthquakes and extreme wind conditions. Pre-made individual barrel units formed the shaft of the tower. The four levels of the turret structure were constructed at the base of the shaft. They were raised to the top as work progressed. The shaft supporting the turret is made up of 46 barrels units. Each one weighs 27 tonnes. These were brought to the site in seven pieces and welded together. The shaft contains two sets of fire stairs, fire, electrical and plumbing ducts. It also houses the lift shafts.
Once the tower structure was complete, the spire was erected. This was done in two parts. One half was placed, and then the top section was lifted onto the bottom section.
The Sydney Tower stands 309 m above the Sydney central business district. It is located on Market Street, between Pitt and Castlereagh Streets. The tower is accessible from the Pitt Street Mall, Market Street or Castlereagh Street. It sits above the Westfield Sydney shopping centre. The golden turret has a capacity of 960 people.
Access to the observation deck is by three high-speed double-deck lifts. Each lift has a capacity of 8 to 10 people. At full speed, the lifts reach the deck in 45 seconds.
The observation deck is located 250 m above ground level. It has a fully enclosed viewing platform. This platform features 360-degree views of the city and surrounding areas. Eighteen different binoculars let you peer out to a distance of up to 100 kilometres. The tower also houses a small gift shop and multilingual touchscreens. They also display data about wind speed, direction, and sway amplitude.
SKYWALK is known as Sydney’s Highest Outdoor Adventure. Visitors can walk on air at the highest outdoor viewpoint in this city. It is 268m high.
The 1504 fire-isolated sets of pressurised stairs allow direct access to street level in case of an emergency. The 420 windows of the tower are cleaned by a semi-automatic window cleaning machine named ‘Charlie’. A 162,000-litre water tank acts as a stabilizer for the tower. 56 cables stabilize the tower. 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. The spire is used for telecommunications and navigation purposes. The Sydney Tower is the first to see the Sydney dawn and the last to see its final dusk.
Leading up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, the tower was decorated with sculptures by Australian artist Dominique Sutton. These sculptures were removed in 2002 and relocated to Sydney Olympic Park at Homebush Bay.
Each year the Sydney Tower Stair Challenge comprises running up 1,504 stairs from Pitt Street Mall to the Observation Deck. The event raises money for the Cancer Council.
The Sydney Tower remains the tallest structure in Sydney. Guests can enjoy the views from the Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck. From here, you truly appreciate the beauty and grandeur of Sydney.