COLOMBO, September 2019: Colombo Lotus Tower, the tallest free-standing structure of its kind in South Asia was opened on September 16 by President Maithripala Sirisena.
The Lotus Tower or Nelum Kuluna in Sinhala or Thamarai Gopuram in Tamil, is a multifunctional TV and telecommunications tower that was initiated in 2012 to further boost various economic sectors including telecommunications, trade and tourism, and symbolises a significant aspect of Sri Lankan culture. The Sri Lanka Post also issued a commemorative stamp to record this historic occasion.
The tower rising to 356 m (1,168 ft) and built in the shape of a lotus bud will be used for communication, observation and other leisure facilities, with the total project cost estimated to be $104.3 million, largely funded by EXIM Bank of the People’s Republic of China. However, the project faced numerous delays amid funding issues. With the government still needing another three billion rupees to complete the building in the heart of the capital Colombo, President Maithripala Sirisena said he decided to open the tower to the public.
“We still have not completed this project, but we decided to go ahead and open sections of the tower that can be accessed by people,” Sirisena said in a nationally televised opening ceremony and in front of a distinguished audience that included Chinese envoy to Colombo Cheng Xueyuan.
Only an observation deck 244 metres high will be open for visitors for the time being. Yet, the iconic landmark, which will include diverse features and facilities including a revolving restaurant, a hotel, a mall and an auditorium, and serve as a nerve centre for radio and television transmissions in Sri Lanka, is being seen as a welcome shot in the arm for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which is fast recovering after the Easter Sunday terror attacks in April. The tower, overlooking Beira Lake in central Colombo and offering panoramic views of the city and suburbs, is expected to become a major tourism attraction.
In spite of the fact that it is only partially completed, the Colombo Lotus Tower has already become an architectural and construction marvel in the field of electronic communications in Sri Lanka. The base of this unique design consists of four storeys; the basement is reserved for the main kitchen, air conditioning, electrical operating systems and elevator systems. The ground floor is the surface level of the tower building. This level is completely reserved for entry of visitors, visitor-waiting facilities, VIP entrances, VIP waiting points, a shopping mall, and information counters. The first floor is dedicated to a shopping mall. The second floor is reserved for a shopping mall and an area for VIP access. The third floor is the roof of the tower. This area can be used for holding open shows, meetings and events.
The section known as the Tower House is in the shape of a lotus. The colours of the lotus petals change periodically. With a height of 45 metres from 215 to 260 metres, this section has nine levels. The first and second levels are exclusively for radio and television transmissions; the first level is exclusively for radio transmission, while the second level is dedicated to television transmission.
The third and fourth levels will function as event halls and dining rooms. The third level lounge has space for 250 guests. The fourth level is also a reception hall, accommodating 280 guests. The two halls on the different floors are connected by staircases.The fifth level is a revolving restaurant. Up to 200 guests can use this facility simultaneously, and the cafeteria takes 90 minutes to rotate one circle. This revolving restaurant and the two halls are also linked by a stairway. The sixth level has eight luxury rooms designed for state guests. These rooms are well equipped with all amenities. The seventh level is the outdoor observation deck, which is now open and gives people the opportunity to view the city and its surroundings at a height of 245 metres. The eighth and ninth levels are dedicated to various services including elevators and air conditioning.
The Antenna Mast at the top of the tower is the main feature of Lotus Tower. The entire length of the Antenna Mast is about 90 metres and it is a heavy steel structure. It has been designed to accommodate 20 television broadcasting companies, 50 FM broadcasters and telecom operators.
The infrastructure, which is set to become Sri Lanka’s top digital tower, is built with fibre optic cables and is fully equipped with necessary telecommunication equipment to ensure that technological services and devices will run smoothly, without disruption and with zero downtime incidence. Considering the forthcoming requirements of digital TV broadcasters, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the premier telecommunication service provider in Sri Lanka and the project’s technology partner, has already laid the desirable telecommunication infrastructural paths to transport content to ‘Lotus Tower’ from their respective control centres.
The Faculty of Architecture of University of Moratuwa was given the unique opportunity to provide professional advice on design for this project. The Faculty of Architecture also provided professional advice on cost planning and cost control of the project. The university team of consultants included Emeritus Professor Nimal de Silva, Senior Professor Samitha Manawadu the Coordinating Consultant and Team Leader of the Lotus Tower project, and Professor Chitra Weddikkara. The Lotus Tower will be placed under the administration of a state institution under the guidance of the Finance Ministry, that will run it like a government entity similar to Sri Lankan airlines, promoting the facility as a tourism attraction and a hub for business.
