Christ The Redeemer Statue to be Built in London
There are reports of secret plans to construct a giant replica of the Christ the Redeemer, the iconic statue atop the Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, on the Primrose Hill in London.
The proposed project will be funded by the Brazilian government and will highlight the passing of the Olympic torch from the London 2012 games to the games scheduled to take place in Brazil in 2016, according to emails obtained by the Camden New Journal.
The plans are so sensitive that London consultants hired by the Brazilians are quietly consulting residents before submitting their plans to the local Camden council.
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The emails state that organizers are demanding that any details of the plan remain under the strictest of confidence.
"Due to the high profile nature of the proposals and the Tourism Board of Brazil's (sic) desire to unveil the structure as a surprise at the end of the closing ceremony, we would ask that all correspondence remains strictly private and confidential at this time. We trust that this is acceptable."
It continues to explain that high profile residents in the affluent neighborhood were sent information regarding the proposed plan by Camden-based design firm See Me, Hear Me, Feel Me, Ltd., as reported by the London Evening Standard.
A spokesman for Dalton Warner Davis, one of the companies that are partnering with the Tourism Board of Brazil, stated that "there are a number of options regarding design and location being considered and therefore it is premature to comment."
In a letter sent to residents of Primrose Hill, designers and consulting teams explained the statue would provide an internationally recognizable structure for "the world's media at the end of the handover."
The letter continued to state that "the structure that has been selected is iconic in nature and synonymous with Rio. The intention is for a planning application to be submitted in February," according to The Camden New Journal.
