Ritchie has tried to think of everything, right down to the internal mechanisms to change the lights at the tip of the Spire, and the exactly appropriate high grade of stainless steel to keep its shine in a polluted, semi-maritime environment. We'll see: stainless steel left out in the open has a habit of discoloring surprisingly quickly. But if it keeps its gleam, can such a modern-day obelisk take on any of the qualities of its ancient forbears? Ritchie has left it mute - no inscriptions, just a geometric spiral pattern set into the bronze base. He intends it to maintain its air of mystery. It could be a monument to peace, to cultural revival, to anything you like. But in the end, it is just very satisfyingly itself.

http://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk