The POMA team made the move look easy, with the last section attached to the crane in mere moments.
POMA attach the last piece of the British Airways i360 pod
As it hangs from the crane the POMA team manually control the movement
As soon as it was fixed, the team lifted the piece up into the air. The rain clouds gathering overhead added to the drama and made for some amazing photos.
Old meets new – our futuristic pod against the historic West Pier.
The British Airways i360 team were joined by members of the press to watch the last section lowered into place. Crowds of onlookers also gathered on the beach and the upper esplanade to watch the action. We had some amazing feedback on Twitter and our live broadcast on Periscope meant that people were watching the action all over the world.
BBC South East, Juice Radio and Latest Television were just some of the media on-site to watch the historic event
It was a busy week for POMA – the strong winds have limited the days that they could move the pieces, but they took advantage of every weather window to make sure all the pieces were fitted in time for the arrival of the last sections – the doors.
The last section was expertly maneuvered into position
The incredible moment when the section slotted perfectly into place
It was amazing to see the completed pod. The glass, handmade by Sunglass in Italy, is delicate to look at, but incredibly robust – each section is 4 panes thick. It is breathtaking to look at. Julia Barfield said, “This is an extremely important moment for us. The pod is completed and it looks stunning. The fluid form of the glass sits beautifully in its beachfront setting and the mirrored underside will cast reflections of the naturally shifting shapes of the sea and sky.”
The completed pod
It is an incredible achievement for the British Airways i360 team. As with the tower, which went up to 162m in 10 weeks, we have watched the way the pod has emerged in wonder. David Marks commented, “It is incredibly exciting to see the pod finally take shape on the tower. The team from Poma have done a remarkable job, both in terms of the craftsmanship of the handmade pod as well their skillful and swift assembly.”
It was all smiles for Fabien – our POMA engineer on-site – as he completes this major milestone for the project.
With the pod now in place we can continue with the base building and wait for the team to hit the next big milestone: the pod tests. Eleanor Harris said, “It is a thrilling way to start the year. We are well on schedule and look forward to starting to test the pod movement in the spring and British Airways i360 opening this summer.”
Click here to watch the a time lapse of the glass pod assembly in 60 seconds!