Towering sculpture for Olympic Park to create new landmark

The tower, designed by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor, will stand taller than Big Ben and sit between the showpiece Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre.

The design was unveiled by London Mayor Boris Johnson and is promised to provide views of the 250-acre Olympic Park and the London skyline. It will have two indoor viewing platforms, and a visitor pavilion at the base.

The sculpture will be known as the ArcelorMittal Orbit and will rival other British landmarks including the London Eye, which stands at 443ft (135m), Big Ben, which is 315ft (96m), and the 167ft (51m) Nelson's Column. The Olympic Stadium will be 197ft (60m) tall.

Businessman Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and chief executive of ArcelorMittal, is investing 16m while the rest is coming from the London Development Agency.

Mr Johnson said: "Long after the Games are over, our aim is to have a stunning spectacle in east London that will be recognised around the world. Anish Kapoor's inspired art work will truly encapsulate the energy and spirit of London during the Games and as such will become the perfect iconic cultural legacy."