HOTLINE: ArcelorMittal Orbit turns from Olympic rings to wedding rings

Couples will soon be able to get married at the top of the UK’s tallest sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the London Legacy Development Corp told Metal Bulletin sister title Steel First on Monday June 17.

Couples will soon be able to get married at the top of the UK’s tallest sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the London Legacy Development Corp told Metal Bulletin sister title Steel First on Monday June 17.

The corporation, which is responsible for events taking place at the Orbit and for managing other assets and venues created for the 2012 Olympic Games, has applied for a licence to host wedding ceremonies on the sculpture’s viewing platform, which overlooks the Olympic Stadium in east London.

The sculpture was designed by artist Anish Kapoor, newly knighted for services to the visual arts, and Cecil Balmond for the London Olympic Park. It was the setting for several marriage proposals during the London Olympic Games last year.

ArcelorMittal provided 2,000 tonnes of steel for the construction of the sculpture, the majority of which came from the steelmaker’s plants in Western Europe.

“Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be such a fantastic place to celebrate a wedding. Whether in Timber Lodge, surrounded by the beautiful green parklands of the north park, or 80m above the south park in the ArcelorMittal Orbit, our spectacular venues will be the perfect setting for a spectacular wedding,” park ceo Dennis Hone said.

Who would have guessed that the famously twisted Orbit, which has been likened to the outcome of a collision, subatomic or otherwise, would have taken a turn in such a romantic direction?

Alexandra Chapman
achapman@steelfirst.com
Twitter: @AChapman_SF