U2’s iconic Claw stage to become permanent fixture at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
by Tom Anstey | 13 Apr 2018
A unique construction created for U2’s most recent world tour has been purchased by Salt Lake City's Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, where it will now become a permanent fixture at the Utah attraction.
From the mind of the late Mark Fisher of London-based architects Stufish, the 250-ton, 165ft-tall (50m) ‘Claw’ was designed by the firm and created by construction company Stageco, with three different versions built for the three-year tour.
The space beneath the claw will come to life with a number of memorable guest experiences, according to the aquarium, with the venue planning to host concerts for up to 7,000 people on-site. It will also serve as a location for movie screenings, farmers markets and other special events year-round.
Beneath The Claw’s stage will be the ‘Eco Command Centre’, an experience which combines elements from escape rooms, simulators and team building exercises. Using digital technology and immersive virtual reality experiences, the aquarium plans to send visitors on science and ecology-based eco-missions around the globe, ranging from deep oceans and rainforests to deserts and Arctic regions.
“The Claw will be an iconic monument that shines a light on our mission to inspire people to explore, discover and learn about earth’s diverse ecosystems,” said Brent Andersen, the aquarium’s founder and CEO.
“We want to use this magnificent structure to help people understand that the environments we live in are all interconnected as one global ecosystem – the living planet.”
In addition to The Claw, the Science Learning Campus will be home to the 80,000sq ft (7,400sq m) Science Learning Center, which will provide immersive experiences that encourage guests to learn about the natural world and understand the need for conservation.
Experiences will include the five-story Asian Cloud Forest Habitat and Endangered Species Conservation Center, interactive science stations, new indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, and laboratories and classrooms. The centre will also include a Science Entrepreneur Incubator and a banquet and conference facility.
The development and installation of The Claw is expected to cost around US$25m (€20.3m, £17.5m). A US$1m (€810,000, £700,000) GoFundMe campaign has been launched to fund construction, which will take place in Q3 of this year.
U2 Claw Loveland Living Planet Aquarium Utah Salt Lake
The Claw will host a number of events through the year for the aquarium
The Claw was originally used as part of U2's world tour
Three different versions of The Claw were built for U2's three-year tour
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A unique construction created for U2’s most recent world tour has been purchased by Salt Lake City's Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, where it will now become a permanent fixture at the Utah attraction. From the mind of the late Mark Fisher of London-based architects Stufish, the 250-ton, 165ft-tall (50m) ‘Claw’ was designed by the firm and created by construction company Stageco, with three different versions built for the three-year tour.
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