Sights · Our pick in Brighton
The Brighton i360 and Marks Barfield: the back story
The back story
About The Brighton i360 and Marks Barfield: the back story
The Brighton i360 opened in August 2016 at the shore end of the West Pier: a 162-metre tower designed by Marks Barfield Architects and built by the team that created the London Eye; its glass viewing pod rises to 138 metres, in the operator’s words, which calls it Europe’s tallest moving platform.
If the West Pier was a promenade out to sea, the i360 is a promenade straight up. A glass pod slides gently up a slim tower beside the ruins of the old pier, and the whole of the city opens beneath you.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Christine Matthews · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsBy the West Pier
The i360 stands on the Lower King’s Road at the shore end of the West Pier, whose ruins still stand in the sea. It opened in August 2016; the tower is 162 metres tall, in the council’s words.
Go up an hour before sunset, and walk along to the Palace Pier afterwards.
The architects of the London Eye
The tower was designed by Marks Barfield Architects, the practice behind the London Eye, and built by the team that created the Eye, in the council’s words. Inside the glass pod you can walk around and look out in every direction.
The view
The pod climbs to 138 metres (450 feet) above the seafront, in the operator’s words, which calls it Europe’s tallest moving platform. On a clear day you look along the coast and inland to the South Downs. The 360 Extreme Experience lets you stand on top of the pod.
Our advice: check the forecast and the opening times on brightoni360.co.uk before you go; local residents with BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 postcodes can ask about the local offer.
Why it's on our list
- By the West Pier
- The architects of the London Eye
- The view
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Brighton i360 and Marks Barfield: the back story before you go.
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to The Brighton i360 and Marks Barfield: the back story, as the crow flies.
- Artist Residence Brighton0.1 mi2 min walk
- Hotel Pelirocco0.1 mi2 min walk
- Hilton Brighton Metropole0.1 mi2 min walk
- The Grand Brighton0.2 mi3 min walk
- Harbour Hotel Brighton0.3 mi6 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from The Brighton i360 and Marks Barfield: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest railway stations
- BrightonRail0.7 mi14 min walk
Key sights
- The Lanes0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Brighton Dome0.6 miWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Royal Pavilion0.6 miWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Hove Lawns0.6 miWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- The North Laine0.6 miWalk 13 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Palace Pier0.7 miWalk 13 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Preston Park1.7 miWalk 34 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 12 min
Railway stations
- Brighton station0.7 miWalk 14 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- London Road (Brighton) station1.2 miWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Hove station1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Preston Park station1.7 miWalk 34 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 12 min