The design team behind British Airways i360, Marks Barfield Architects, held an anniversary event at the tower with free drinks and cupcakes being handed out to visitors. It was also the first time visitors could meet new chief executive Steve Bax, formerly at English Heritage, who was appointed in July to replace former CEO, Eleanor Harris.

“Since August 2016 we’ve welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors plus we’ve won nine fantastic awards,” said Bax, who added that the aim to boost visitor numbers further would be helped by the high number of “very good reviews” for the attraction.

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus performed at the event, and guests enjoyed a British Airways i360 birthday cake – a model of the attraction made by Brighton Cakes, complete with tower, pod and two tollbooths.

Brighton Mayor Mo Marsh applauded the attraction for “bringing visitors from all over the world to the city”, and praised the i360’s free school ticket programme, which has seen 39,000 free tickets given to Brighton children – one for every child in a state school in Brighton & Hove.

Brighton & Hove City Council chief executive Geoff Raw also attended the anniversary event, calling the i360 “a beacon for Brighton and a positive statement of confidence” for the city.

In line with plans for British Airways i360 to raise the international profile of Brighton and attract investment, an extensive IT Infrastructure was obviously integral to the project, and Curve IT were brought in to ensure WiFi connectivity was implemented right across the site – including in the glass pod at its full height of 138 metres.

Curve IT consultants came into the project half-way through its two-year construction period, meaning they were able to identify the necessary IT infrastructure that was needed and influence some design changes – with less need for retrospective IT installation costs.

Some high points

• The view from the top of the tower takes in a 360-degree, 26-mile vista from Chichester in the west to the Seven Sisters and beyond in the east.
• The tower is not perfectly vertical (it’s impossible to build any tall building which is exactly straight!). The engineers allowed a tolerance of 6 inches and the i360 leans very slightly towards Regency Square.
• British Airways i360 has created 150 jobs, held five weddings and 180 private events.
• The i360 is one of the only major planning applications in Brighton’s history to have received cross-party unanimous planning support.
• During the three-month consultation period hundreds of residents came to see the public exhibition, 500 questionnaires were completed – and all but 7 were supportive.
• Curve IT completed a pre-build WiFi survey using CAD architectural drawings to create a virtual model of the planned network.
• Preparatory work included diverting 120 metres of a working Victorian sewer and moving nine major electrical cables which power a third of the city.

Read the case study on Curve IT’s work with British Airways i360.

Email or call Curve IT on 01273 806220 to discuss your IT infrastructure project.

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The RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) National Awards are given to buildings regarded as making “significant contributions to architecture”, and the jury said it had been impressed by “the extraordinary innovation and originality” of the structure as well as the “heroic collaboration” between the architects Marks Barfield and the British Airways i360 engineers.

In May, British Airways i360 was also awarded a 2017 RIBA South East Award as well as being honoured with three 2017 RICS South East Awards, including the accolade “Project of the Year”.

An extensive IT Infrastructure was integral to the project, and Curve IT consultants were commissioned to design, develop and install a robust system to tight deadlines and budget.  WiFi connectivity was also implemented right across the site – including in the glass pod at its full height of 138 metres – as well as in the offices, event spaces and restaurant.

Located next to Brighton’s historic West Pier, the British Airways i360’s futuristic pod now allows 175 visitors at a time to use social media, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, to share their experiences during their visit.

“Curve IT understood the aims for the building including the flow of people and the work spaces that would require guaranteed connectivity,” said Marks Barfield Architect’s Director, Ian Crockford. “They planned, mapped and implemented connectivity to suit the customers and operations teams needs alike – including designing and installing WiFi provision inside the moving glass pod.”

The British Airways i360 visitor attraction will now go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in October 2017, for the chance to be crowned an overall UK winner.

The shortlist for the Stirling Prize, RIBA’s prestigious accolade for Britain’s best building of the year, will be drawn from the list of 49 RIBA National Award-winning projects.

Read the case study regarding our work with British Airways i360.

Email or call Curve IT on 01273 806220 to discuss your IT infrastructure project.

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