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The great Eiffel Tower Observation Deck hoax

You may wonder why anyone would want to add anything to the Eiffel Tower. Many would say the iconic Parisian landmark is perfect as it is. However, in March, Serero Architects unveiled their design for an extension of the 19th-century structure. And it sent the internet world into a spin.

Serero posted images of the extension on their website, and word spread quickly of plans to extend the tower by adding a massive viewing platform near its top. The platform would be made out of high-performance carbon Kevlar, steel connectors and metal mesh, and bolted to the slab without making any changes to the existing building.

Newspapers and websites reported that the extraordinary – and controversial – design was to be put into place to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the tower, which is next year. But only temporarily.

As the word spread, people called La Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) for their opinion – and they revealed what is now known to be true. Serero had made the designs, they had submitted them to SETE, but there were no plans to erect the platform. It had, it seems, all been a rather entertaining internet hoax, and no-one knows how exactly it started. RM

Via Notcot.com

Images: Serero

2008 Jul 10 one response. share this

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