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The
upper
portion
of
the
tower
contains
two
restaurants
and
a
cafe—including
New
Zealand's
only revolving
restaurant,
located
190 m
(620 ft)
from
the
ground,
which
turns
360
degrees
every
hour.[8] There
is
also
a
brasserie-style
buffet
located
one
floor
above
the
main
observatory
level.
It
has
three
observation
decks
at
different
heights,
each
providing
360-degree
views
of
the
city.
The
main
observation
level
at
186 m
(610 ft)
has
38 mm
(1.5 in)
thick
glass
sections
of
flooring
giving
a
view
straight
to
the
ground.[9] The
top
observation
deck
labeled
"Skydeck"
sits
just
below
the
main
antenna
at
220 m
(720 ft)
and
gives
views
of
up
to
82 km
(51 mi)
in
the
distance.[10]
The
tower
also
features
the
"SkyJump",
a
192-metre
(630 ft)[11] jump
from
the
observation
deck,
during
which
a
jumper
can
reach
up
to
85 km/h
(53 mph).
The
jump
is
guide-cable-controlled
to
prevent
jumpers
from
colliding
with
the
tower
in
case
of
wind
gusts.[12] Climbs
into
the
antenna
mast
portion
(300 m
or
980 ft
heights)
are
also
possible
for
tour
groups,[11] as
is
a
walk
around
the
exterior.[13]The
tower
is
also
used
for
telecommunications
and
broadcasting
with
the Auckland
Peering
Exchange (APE)
being
located
on
Level
48.[14] The
aerial
at
the
top
of
the
tower
hosts
the
largest FM combiner
in
the
world[9] which
combines
with
58
wireless microwave links
located
above
the
top
restaurant
to
provide
a
number
of
services.
These
include television, wireless
internet, RT,
and weather
measurement
services.[9]
The
tower
is
Auckland's
primary
FM
radio
transmitter,
and
is
one
of
four
infill
terrestrial
television
transmitters
in
Auckland,
serving
areas
not
covered
by
the
main
transmitter
at Waiatarua in
the
Waitākere
Ranges.
A
total
of
twenty-three
FM
radio
stations
and
six digital
terrestrial
television multiplexes
broadcast
from
the
tower.[15][16] Two
VHF
analogue
television
channels
broadcasting
from
the
tower
were
switched
off
in
the
early
hours
of
Sunday
1
December
2013
as
part
of
New
Zealand's digital
television
transition.[17]Fletcher
Construction was
the
contracted
builder
for
the
project
while
engineering
firm Beca
Group provided
the
design
management
and
coordination,
structural,
geotechnical,
civil,
mechanical,
electrical,
plumbing,
lighting
and
fire
engineering
services.
Harrison
Grierson[18] provided
surveying
services.
It
was
designed
by
Gordon
Moller
of
Craig
Craig
Moller
architects[2] and
has
received
a New
Zealand
Institute
of
Architects National
Award
as
well
as
regional
awards.[19][20][21] The
Project
Architect
was
Les
Dykstra.[22]
Taking
two
years
and
nine
months
to
construct,[23] the
tower
was
opened
on
3
August
1997
The
tower
is
constructed
of
high-performance reinforced
concrete.
Its
12-metre
(39 ft)
diameter
shaft
(containing
four
lifts
and
an
emergency
stairwell)
is
supported
on
eight
"legs"
based
on
16
foundation
piles
drilled
over
12 m
(39 ft)
deep
into
the
local
sandstone.[20][21] The
main
shaft
was
built
using climbing
formwork.[21]
The
upper
levels
were
constructed
from composite
materials,
structural
steel, precast
concrete and
reinforced
concrete,[21] and
the
observation
decks
clad
in
aluminium
with
blue/green
reflective
glass.
A
structural
steel
framework
supports
the
upper
mast
structure.
During
construction
15,000
cubic
metres
(20,000 cu yd)
of
concrete,
2,000 tonnes (2,200 short
tons)
of
reinforcing
steel,
and
660
tonnes
(730
short
tons)
of
structural
steel
were
used.
The
mast
weighs
over
170
tonnes
(190
short
tons).[21][25] It
had
to
be
lifted
into
place
using
a
crane
attached
to
the
structure,
as
it
would
have
been
too
heavy
for
a
helicopter
to
lift.
To
then
remove
the
crane,
another
crane
had
to
be
constructed
attached
to
the
upper
part
of
the
Sky
Tower
structure,
which
dismantled
the
big
crane,
and
was
in
turn
dismantled
into
pieces
small
enough
to
fit
into
the
elevator.The
tower
is
designed
to
withstand
wind
in
excess
of
200 km/h
(120 mph)
and
designed
to
sway
up
to
1
metre
(39 in)
in
excessively
high
winds.
As
a
safety
precaution
the
Sky
Tower's
lifts
have
special
technology
installed
to
detect
movement
(such
as
sway
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