A big gesture from New Zealand’s largest city, Sky Tower is not a building to be dismissed. At the time of its completion it was the tallest structure in the country and the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. While from a distance the tower appears to be a smooth ever-so-slight curve into the sky, a closer inspection shows that it sports eight vertical ribs at the bottom. These legs help support the tower and disperse both weight and the force of wind. If the wind blows too hard in one particular direction, concrete collars spread the stress around for the other legs to absorb. Further up the tower are the main facilities most people will use: Three observation decks plus restaurants and other amenities, and broadcasting facilities for radio, television, and other communications links. Many of the antennae are hidden inside the steel tube that makes up the tower’s mast. Others ring the top of the pod like a crown. In case of an emergency, there is a refuge level in the lower section of the pod, and one of the elevator shafts is fireproofed.
The tower is designed to withstand an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale and winds up to 125 miles-per-hour.
The tower is built from 15,000 cubic meters / 405,000 cubic feet of concrete.
The tower also includes 2,000 tons of steel reinforcement, and 660 tons of structural steel.
The mast weighs 170 tons.
3 March, 1997 - The Sky Tower opens to the public.
5 October, 1998 - AJ Hackett bungee jumps from the tower, leaping from a height of 594 feet.
Brent Kampert
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 @ 4:42pm
Rating: Five stars. I like how it anchors the Auckland Skyline. A city so filled with architecture. I hope Chicago designs a tower like this someday.
Corky
Monday, September 19th, 2005 @ 11:37am
Rating: Five stars. Result, what a buzz...Its a must do everything!!!!
Tayla
Saturday, August 27th, 2005 @ 4:55am
Rating: Five stars. the sky tower is absolutly fabulous it is so wonderful there and the great veiw is just breath taking. i love it so muck i eat in the restuarants every year and visit there 2 times a year.
Jade Doel
Tuesday, August 9th, 2005 @ 12:50pm
Rating: Five stars. I work In the Skytower on the 52nd level at Orbit Restaurant as a waiter and have the honour of spectacular sunsets and veiws of an amazingly beautiful city. On windy days it feels as though you are at sea on a boat, quite fun until you drop a plate but they close and evacuate the tower if the wind is too high.
Nathan
Tuesday, June 28th, 2005 @ 12:22am
Rating: Five stars. The building is truly amazing I have experienced nothing like it.
Anna
May 26th, 2003
The tower was AMAZING
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Brent Kampert
Five stars.
Corky
Tayla
Jade Doel