Documenting Life In Brighton - Photographing The Rise And Fall Of The British Airways i360
The British Airways i360 protrudes high above residential buildings on the seafront in Brighton, East Sussex, UK. The observation tower is 162 meters high and carries passengers up to a height of 138 meters in a glass pod. Photo © Scott Ramsey.
Loved by some and disliked by others the British Airways i360 on the seafront in Brighton is undoubtedly an impressive sight. The controversial observation tower in East Sussex, England is 162 meters high and transports it's visiting passengers in a glass pod where, if the weather is good, it rewards them with a 138-meter high view along the East Sussex coastline. Opened in August 2016, I've been documenting the project since the beginning of the build back in 2014/15. I wasn't commissioned but merely decided to work on my own personal project, after all, documenting the world around me is what I do. Thankfully after 30 years I still have a passion for telling stories, and when the story is right, I don't always need to be commissioned to pick up my cameras. Sure during particularly newsworthy moments of the build, I syndicated the images to the national press, but that wasn't my driving force, although I was grateful for the editorial sales that followed. No the reason for my often early morning starts and continued visits to the site were to document the story. And this story continues. Although the build is complete, I seem drawn to the site everytime I visit Brighton. In all weathers, and throughout the year it catches my eye. I often find myself taking yet more photos after glimpsing the tower between some buildings or after catching the sun reflecting off the glass pod as I walk along the seafront. It's as if this futuristic looking tower has a life of its own, crazy I know. But there's no denying the i360 has undoubtedly made its mark on the city. Maybe one day I'll take a flight and experience the view for myself but for now, I'm happy documenting the story.
