MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION TOWER AND

ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

BY: LALINDA PERERA

LOTUS TOWER COLOMBO

The Lotus Tower (or Colombo Lotus Tower) is an under construction tower with a height of 350 metres, located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The lotus is a local design which is a key symbol deep rooted in the Sri Lankan culture.

Location It was first proposed to be built in Peliyagoda Town but later the Government of Sri Lanka

decided to shift the location. The lotus-shaped tower will be used for communication and observation, with construction costing $104.3 million, funded by EXIM Bank of Peoples' Republic of China.

After an initial decision to construct the tower within the confines of a suburb of the country's capital city of Colombo, Sri Lanka's government announced their plans to shift the location to the heart of the city. The tower's new location is on the waterfront of the city's picturesque Beira Lake.

Construction With the witness of the President of Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri

Lanka (TCRSL), the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry, the Presidents of CEIEC and ALIT signed the contract with Mr. Anusha Palpita, the Director General of TCRSL, for the project on the 3rd of January 2012.

Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, M.P. and the Minister of Economic Affairs, laid the foundation stone at the site earmarked for the construction of the Colombo Lotus Tower on January 20, 2012 in the presence of a distinguished gathering. The site is located at the Beira Lake waterfront and alongside a part of the D. R. Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo 10.

As of August 2014, the tower's construction reached the 90m milestone.

Design & Functions The design of this building is inspired by the Lotus flower. The lotus symbolizes purity

within Sri Lankan culture, and is also said to symbolize the country's flourishing development. The tower base is inspired by the lotus throne and will also be formed by two inverted trapezoidal. The tower's colour is planned to alternate between pink and light yellow by smooth transition- an effect achieved by coating the glass.

The concept and preliminary design is by local architects. The Faculty of Architecture of the University of Moratuwa provides the indigenous technical and architectural expertise. A team of consultants led by Emeritus Professor Nimal de Silva, Professor Samita Manawadu and Professor Chitra Weddikkara of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa provides professional advice on this mega project.

The tower will be 350m tall and will be spread over 30,600 square metres floor area.

Lotus Tower's main revenue sources will be tourism and antenna leasing. It will function as a radio and television broadcasting antenna ISDB-T support structure for 50 television services and 20 telecommunication service providers, and will house a variety of tourist attractions.

The tower will have 4 entrances, with two being used as VIP (distinguished guests and state leaders) entrances. A telecommunications museum and restaurant will be located on the ground floor. The tower podium will consist of 6 floors. The first floor of the podium will accommodate a museum and 2 exhibition halls. The second floor will be utilized for several conference halls with seating space in excess of 400 people. Restaurants, supermarkets and food courts will be situated in the 3rd floor. A 1000-seat auditorium will be located on the 4th floor, also used as a ballroom. The fifth floor will include luxury hotel rooms, large ballrooms, with the seventh floor hosting an observation gallery. The landscaping is planned in the form of a large water park.

Surmounted on the tower head, the mast will be the base for antennaes of TV, FM and telecommunication service providers. According to the TRC these will be installed at a height of between 250 to 350 meters from the ground level.

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