Gizmodo
Next year marks the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower. To celebrate, the French will be adding a gigantic webbed Kevlar observation deck to the top, doubling the size of the deck and making the Eiffel Tower look like some sort of alien space needle.
The addition isn't permanent — don't worry, purists — but will be simply bolted in place and easily removed later. It's pretty amazing looking, a really interesting way of blending the past with the future. I like it. What say you? [Dwell via io9]
Comments
Wait...it's not April 1st yet.
It's kinda cool looking but seems like an awful lot of work and money for something that is "temporary".
looks like the coney island parachute jump
If you were a giant, this would make the Eiffel Tower into a useful garden tool.
@frigg: ...what?
tasteful new spin on an old icon. The temporary status is probably a good thing as many would up in arms if the skyline changed forever just to give tourists a place to stand. But I think it looks pretty damn cool.
any idea how long it will be on there?
Two men enter. One man leaves!
I bet it becomes permanent.
Paris was jealous of the Seattle skyline, as featured at the beginning of each episode of Frasier.
Looks like a busted IUD to me.
Naw.
It's wrong to be French.
That being said, I hope they have some sort of incorporated railing system to contain the sight-seeing douche-bags and morons who may get a tad too close to the edge......
pretty cool. Wonder if they'll do anything to the Statue of Liberty after seeing its success
@SirDrinksalot:
Break the deal - get the wheel.
The tower itself was temporary too.
@TheCyberBob: The tower was also built as a temporary structure for the World's Fair. But the once eyesore made it's money back much quicker than expected and became an iconic symbol of Paris. It's possible that this could also be a permanent structure or kept in place a lot longer than initially intended.
@TheCyberBob:
Whoever came up with the idea is probably thinking that it will catch on and become permanent - just like how the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be temporary and become a permanent fixture.
@UofITom: It would be fitting, given that the tower itself was suposed to be temporary.
Temporary? I thought this was going to make my library of pre-platform pictures jump in value.
@Out2gtcha: No dumbass, actually they are gonna give it a downhill slope and spread grease on it.
And in another 120 years, it'll get a "temporary" holographic projector installed...
@TheDeotch: If you were a big enough giant and had a big enough lawn, the Eiffel Tower with this handy addition would make a perfect single-tined cultivator. You'd basically use the pointy side of the Tower to stab at the earth and prepare it for planting.
Of course, if you were that big a giant and were visiting Paris, you might prefer to pick yourself up a hoe rather than a cultivator. Perhaps you could find both in the same arrondissement?
@Way: For reference,
Good Morning, Paris:
[foxweb.marist.edu]
@TheCyberBob: Still, though, at least it's not as bad as those temporary waterfalls on the Hudson river.
Remember the Citroën sign that was on the tower from 1925 to 1934?
[en.wikipedia.org]
Looks like some sort of new dish to pick up the 700mhz band.
@TheCyberBob:
well, the eiffel tower itself was built to be temporary, so what do you class as too much effort.
Ugh. This is as tacky as sticking a high tech new addition to something as classic and iconic as the Eiffel tower. Wait a second...
was about to freak before I read the temporary thing... but I guess its a fine thing to do TEMPARERILY... maybe =/
pretty cool I'd like to get a contrasting phot of it to match this [www.ikea.com]
@Red Right Hand: You're my hero for the day!
Meh, glad it's temporary. It doesn't look that good in my opinion though it's a nice touch to accommodate tourists. If they wanted something more permanent I hope they do a design the incorporates better with the original tower.
@faabshaam: I hope the French don't come over and do something to the Statue of Liberty; its property of the USA, no backsies.
it wouldn´t be the same =)
@Out2gtcha: I think the railings will just hold in the morons, douche-bags will have to fend for themselves as per usual.
I've seen some stupid ideas in my time, and this is one of them. Paris, and by extension, all of France, is defined by pretty much one thing: the famed Eiffel shape (well, that and wine and cheese, both of which are made better in Cali, but who cares). Talk about the mustache on the Mona Lisa... >.<
Funny part is...the Eiffel Tower was originally "temporary" when it was built for the World Fair 120 years ago...way to keep with the "temporary" idea guys...lol
Shouldn't they just fly a big white flag? (I'm just saying)
So, Paris was like Google of their times, Eiffel tower never came out of beta, so no matter what they do, people can't complain about it.
I bet this is as "temporary" as that dumb Mickey Mouse hand on the side of the EPCOT ball in Disney World. At least this looks a little better.
it's supposed to be temporary? wait... wasn't the eiffel tower also supposed to be temporary? ;-)
Another cool thing in France that's an eyesore for a few years until it inexplicably becomes a national landmark.
Built on top of the previous eyesore which somehow became a national symbol of France.
@TheCyberBob: so was the original tower - temporary that is....
Leave it to the French to F-up their own design.
@Red Right Hand:
Ah, I see your French; or just not a master of the obvious yet.
@trendspotter:
As usual, no one is catering to douchebaggery these days....
Interesting but awful...
They should just cover it with a giant condom.
It's France right?
nnnnnnNNNOOOOOOOoOooOOOOOOOOOOOoooOoOoOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I like it. Good to know the French have a sense of humour and whismy even about their most famous icon.
All you art buffs out there would know these were pretty much the same reactions when the Tower was first unveiled. Taste changes.
The Eiffel tower just became the mascot for These Guys.
It's temporary and "simply bolted in place" huh? Wow, sounds incredibly safe.