Brighton i360
Brighton i360 is a 162 m (531 ft) moving observation tower on the seafront of Brighton, East Sussex, England at the landward end of the remains of the West Pier. The tower opened on 4 August 2016. From the fully enclosed viewing pod, visitors experience 360-degree views across Brighton, the South Downs and the English Channel.
| Brighton i360 | |
|---|---|
View of the i360 from King's Road in 2018 | |
Location in East Sussex Location in England | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Observation tower |
| Location | Brighton & Hove |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 50.8214°N 0.1507°W |
| Groundbreaking | 29 July 2014 |
| Estimated completion | Summer 2016 |
| Opening | 4 August 2016 |
| Cost | £46.2 million |
| Height | 162 m (531 ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | David Marks and Julia Barfield |
| Architecture firm | Marks Barfield |
| Structural engineer | Jacobs Engineering |
| Main contractor | Hollandia Infra BV |
| Website | |
| brightoni360 | |
Brighton i360 was designed, engineered, manufactured and promoted by the team responsible for the London Eye. The attraction cost £46 million, with £36 million being funded by a Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) loan through Brighton and Hove city council.
Formerly known as the "British Airways i360", the project originally aimed to attract 739,000 paying customers every year. The owner of the site, the West Pier Trust, hoped in 2014 that a successful i360 would lead to the rebuilding of the historic West Pier. Visitor numbers never reached those projected and, in December 2022, the i360 defaulted on the debt it owed the council. By June 2023, the i360's debt to the Council was more than £48 million.