Structural Ballet
Orbit (officially ArcelorMittal Orbit) is a 114.5 metre (376 feet) tall sculpture and observation tower in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London. It was designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond and opened in time for the 2012 London Olympics.
Kapoor and Balmond describe Orbit as a radical combination of art, sculpture, and structural engineering that uses "instabilities as stabilities." It is the tallest piece of sculpture in the UK and is currently being adapted to include the world's tallest tunnel slide. Yes, you can already pay stupid amounts of money to dangle off the thing on a rope (bloody abseilers kept ruining my shot) but from next year you will also be able to pay for the privilege of emulating a rapid bowel movement. Splendid!
My first impressions of this structure were negative, but I think I'm gradually starting to like it now. (or at least dislike it less
)
What do you make of it?
#architecture #photography #sculpture #engineering #monochrome #blackandwhite