Brighton's i360 tower: Futuristic 'vertical pier' or modernist beanpole?

Monument's sparse, unavoidable presence in the city has prompted criticism as well as praise

i360 Brighton
(Image credit: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty)

Brighton's British Airways i360 tower, which opens this week, stands at more than 500ft and has divided locals and critics with its uncompromising design.

Located on the seafront by the remains of the old West Pier, the i360 is a giant glass-and-steel doughnut that moves up and down a thin 531ft pole. On a clear day, the view from the pod stretches 40 miles to the Isle of Wight.

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