[DarJoLe]

Donor waits in the wings for Skylon revival
Published: 12 June 2008 10:34
AJPlus.co.uk

An anonymous donor has pledged to cough up the £1.2 million needed to rebuild Skylon, the symbol of the 1951 Festival of Britain, the AJ can reveal.

It has also emerged the team fighting for the revival – led by former RIBA president Jack Pringle – is considering other sites for the return of Powell & Moya's iconic tower.

Although the preferred location for the permanent 90m-tall replica of the mast remains its former home on the South Bank, the team has also looked at potential sites in King's Cross, Battersea Power Station and in the London 2012 Olympics park.

Campaigners intend to project a full-scale image of Skylon on to the side of Shell Centre, close to where the structure once stood, on 10-11 July as part of this year's London Festival of Architecture.

 

[wjfox]

^ Hope you don't mind, but I split your post into its own thread - this would be quite a significant addition to the skyline.

 

[wjfox]

Here's how it looked in 1951:

and how it might look today:

 

[The Sage]

Now that would be awesome.

 

[Newcastle Guy]

Fantastic, another icon. Hope it goes ahead.

I don't know whether a copy, or a bigger and better version would be best. What do you guys think?

 

[DarJoLe]

It should be the Olympic Flame.

 

[Zenith]

It has to be built on the South Bank otherwise I think it loses its resonance.

 

[DarJoLe]

I've always said the V-shaped structural supports of the Dome Of Discovery are very similar to what is being proposed for the Olympic Stadium, so having a modern day skylon next to it with an Olympic flame at the top would look quite fantastic.

 

[wjfox]

Churchill demolished the original as he feared it would be a symbol of Socialism.

 

[Pompey77]

I've always said the V-shaped structural supports of the Dome Of Discovery are very similar to what is being proposed for the Olympic Stadium, so having a modern day skylon next to it with an Olympic flame at the top would look quite fantastic.

I agree this could make be a fantastic part of the olympic park although i would prefer to see a new design for the olympic flame rather than using the Skylon.

Kings Cross is an interesting option it would look great in front of KC on the new square that is planned there.

 

[DarJoLe]

I doubt it will be placed on the South Bank, as I'm sure Westminster Council will say it is too tall and spoils the view of St James Park.

 

[wjfox]

Stratford maybe? Or Greenwich Peninsula?

 

[DarJoLe]

By the O2 would work. Sort of. I'm trying to think of somewhere it could be used as a marker for a bit of regeneration that isn't too isolated yet has a bit of potential.

 

[Manuel]

It should be the Olympic Flame.

NO WAY

It should be rerected where it was. It makes a lot of sense.

 

[Tony Resta]

Can someone explain to me what its purpose was/will be?

 

[DarJoLe]

Can someone explain to me what its purpose was/will be?

It was just a symbol of British engineering for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

 

[Medo]

What would it be a symbol of if it got built today? A symbol of the lack of British imagination? :?

 

[Zenith]

Exactly ! oh hangon....

 

[DarJoLe]

Scrap it being by the O2- it has twelve of things already.

 

[gothicform]

not a lack of imagination at all. combined with a new euston arch i see this as a good thing indeed. all we need now is to rebuild the imperial institute