IT LOOKS like a giant gravity defying cigar tube and rumour goes the original was melted down into ashtrays.
But now a bizarre structure which captured the public’s imagination 50 years ago could be remade – this time right in the heart of Edinburgh.
The Skylon, said to be an engineering sleight of hand, was designed by Powell and Moya Architects and was originally built on London’s South Bank in 1951 for the Festival of Britain.
It was pulled down just a year later and has since been dubbed “London’s Lost Icon”. However, a campaign to recreate it has now been started to mark the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain in 2011, with Edinburgh one of only four cities being considered possible locations.
The 300ft tall structure was suspended more than 40ft off the ground by a series of almost invisible wires. The Skylon was also illuminated at night, and crowds flocked to see it. Yet, just a year after it was created, the structure was torn down in an act described as “architectural vandalism”.
Among the locations being considered for its new home is Princes Street Gardens, with a mock-up image of how the Skylon would look showing it rising out of the city centre park above even the famous Scott Monument.
The campaign is being led by Scots architect, and an ex-president of the Royal British Institute of Architects, Jack Pringle.
Mr Pringle admitted that, despite being a Glaswegian, he would love to see the structure put up in the Capital. He said: “This is an iconic structure and it is so impressive to see, which is why we want to bring it back.
“We chose Princes Street Gardens really as it seemed the most suitable location, and I think it would look incredible.
“We’re not reaching for the planning application just yet, but it would be interesting to see what residents of Edinburgh think.”
The organisers decided to look around for new sites as the original location of the Skylon is now dominated by the London Eye.
As well as Edinburgh, they are considering locations in Newcastle, Cambridge and several alternative sites in London, including Battersea Gardens, Battersea Power Station and City Hall.
Hayden Nuttall, design director for project engineers Atkins, said: “Everything about the Skylon seemed to defy gravity – it just looked like it shouldn’t stand up – yet it did. It was engineering sleight of hand – a magic trick using maths and physics. ”
City architect Malcolm Fraser said the original Skylon had been “jaw-dropping” but was not entirely convinced a re-creation would have the same effect.
He added: “To rebuild it would seem to be looking at an idea of yesterday’s tomorrow, whereas I’d prefer to see something which looked at today’s tomorrow.
“I’m not sure what relevance it would have for Edinburgh – we have plenty of monuments that need looking after without getting London’s retro sculptures.”
The campaign to rebuild the Skylon will be officially launched in London on Thursday, when a life-sized projection of the monument will be shone on the side of the Shell Building, next to the London Eye. The public will then be asked to vote on where they would most like to see the iconic structure rebuilt by visiting
www.voteforskylon.com.
The full article contains 573 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
