2012 Attraction Unveiled As Arcelormittal Signs Up

The design of the new public attraction set to be built at the Olympic Park has been unveiled by Mayor Boris Johnson and Lakshmi Mittal as part of ArcelorMittal’s announcement to become a tier two sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Award winning London-based artist Anish Kapoor has been commissioned to design the new public attraction which is set to cost £19.1m – with £16m to be funded by ArcelorMittal and London Development Agency set to cover the remaining £3.1m.

The spiralling artwork incorporates the five Olympic rings and is entitled ‘The ArcelorMittal Orbit’ is set to become the UK’s largest sculpture standing at 115m – 22m taller than the Statue of Liberty – and will offer views of the 250 acres of Olympic Park and London’s skyline.

Visitors will be able to take a trip up the structure in a lift and will have the option of walking down the spiralling staircase.

The attraction will stand in the southern part of the Olympic Park between the Stadium and Aquatics Centre and will open in time for the 2012 Games.

After completion the Olympic Park Legacy Company will take ownership and run the visitor attraction.