The Tower, Meridian Quay
| The Tower, Meridian Quay | |
|---|---|
 The Tower, Meridian Quay November 2015 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom |
| Address | Meridian Quay, Maritime Quarter, Swansea |
| Construction started | 2006 |
| Completed | 2009 |
| Cost | £40m |
| Height | 107 m (351 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 29 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Latitude Architects |
| Structural engineer | Atkins Ltd |
| Services engineer | Atkins Ltd |
| Civil engineer | Atkins Ltd |
| Main contractor | Carillion |
The Tower, Meridian Quay is a residential tower in Swansea, Wales. It is the tallest building in Wales. Standing at 107 m (351 ft), Meridian Quay is the only skyscraper in Wales (buildings over 100 m tall) and one of several high-rises in Swansea.[1]
Initially known as Ferrara Tower, it was part of the £50 million Meridian Quay housing and office development project.[2] A planning application for the £40 million building was approved in 2003[3] and construction work began in 2006.[4] On 26 January 2008, one of the construction workers died after falling three storeys from the tower.[5] The construction company, Carillion, chose not to release his name. A fire broke out on the 20th floor of the tower in April 2008 and took 45 minutes to extinguish.[4] The tower was topped out to its full height on 12 September 2008.[citation needed]
The tower has 29 storeys, double the number of the previous tallest building in Swansea, the BT Tower. Most of the tower houses residential apartments. The ground floor has a concierge desk which is staffed 24 hours a day, whilst the top three floors form the Altitude28 Restaurant & Sky Bar, opened December 1st 2024 [6] to replace the previous restaurant Grape and Olive.
History
[edit]Previously restaurant on the top of the Tower was Grape and Olive run by the Brains Brewery.[7] This was opened following the unsuccessful 290 cover Penthouse restaurant. On the January 13th 2023 a notice was placed at the ground floor level warning customers that it is no longer currently operating. The notice read the following "The Grape and Olive is now officially closed until further notice. Apologies for any inconvenience caused."[8]
In 2008, it was reported that the penthouse apartment on the 26th floor was sold for £1 million.[9]
Gallery
[edit]-
Tower under construction, January 2008 -
Tower under construction, March 2008 -
Tower under construction, May 2008 -
Tower topping-out, September 2008 -
Tower from the breakwater during high tide, September 2010
References
[edit]- ^ "Meridian Quay". Skyscrapernews. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Atkinson, David (21 June 2008). "An 'ugly lovely town'". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Tower set to dominate city". BBC News: Wales. 19 September 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ a b Dalling, Robert; Dowrick, Molly (29 December 2019). "The chequered past of Wales' tallest building". Wales Online. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ "Tower builder fall man critical". BBC News. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Dalling, Robert (1 December 2024). "The highest restaurant in Wales where diners enjoy a panoramic skyline 300ft up". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ SA Brains website Archived 27 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Dalling, Robert (31 January 2023). "Wales' highest restaurant closes suddenly". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
- ^ "Property view from around Wales". BBC News. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
External links
[edit]
Media related to The Tower, Meridian Quay at Wikimedia Commons
51°36′50″N 3°56′36″W / 51.6139°N 3.9432°W
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