The Tower, Meridian Quay

{{Short description|Residential tower in Swansea, Wales}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox building

| name = The Tower, Meridian Quay

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| image = The Tower, Meridian Quay 2015.JPG

| alt = The Tower Meridian Quay

| caption = The Tower, Meridian Quay November 2015

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| cost = £40m

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| location = Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom

| address = Meridian Quay, Maritime Quarter, Swansea

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| start_date = 2006

| completion_date = 2009

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| height = 107 m (351 ft)

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| floor_count = 29

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| main_contractor = Carillion

| architect = Latitude Architects

| architecture_firm =

| structural_engineer = Atkins Ltd

| services_engineer = Atkins Ltd

| civil_engineer = Atkins Ltd

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}}

The Tower, Meridian Quay is a residential tower in Swansea, Wales. It is the tallest building in Wales. Standing at 107 m (351 ft), Meridian Quay is the only skyscraper in Wales (buildings over 100 m tall) and one of several high-rises in Swansea.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Meridian Quay |url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2322 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204221906/http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2322 |archive-date=4 February 2010 |website=Skyscrapernews |via=Internet Archive}}

Initially known as Ferrara Tower, it was part of the £50 million Meridian Quay housing and office development project.{{cite news|last=Atkinson|first=David|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3a7132f6-3d9b-11dd-bbb5-0000779fd2ac|title=An ‘ugly lovely town’ |work=Financial Times |date=21 June 2008|accessdate=21 June 2023}} A planning application for the £40{{Nbsp}}million building was approved in 2003{{Cite news |date=2003-09-19 |title=Tower set to dominate city |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/3123204.stm |access-date=2024-05-01 |work=BBC News: Wales |language=en-GB}} and construction work began in 2006.{{cite news|last1=Dalling|first1=Robert|last2=Dowrick|first2=Molly|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/meridian-tower-swansea-quay-ferrara-17458000 |title=The chequered past of Wales' tallest building |work=Wales Online |date=29 December 2019|accessdate=21 June 2023}} On 26 January 2008, one of the construction workers died after falling three storeys from the tower.{{Cite news |date=2008-01-23 |title=Tower builder fall man critical |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7202806.stm |access-date=2024-05-01 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} The construction company, Carillion, chose not to release his name. A fire broke out on the 20th floor of the tower in April 2008 and took 45 minutes to extinguish. The tower was topped out to its full height on 12 September 2008.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

The tower has 29 storeys, double the number of the previous tallest building in Swansea, the BT Tower. Most of the tower houses residential apartments. The ground floor has a concierge desk which is staffed 24 hours a day, whilst the top three floors form the Altitude28 Restaurant & Sky Bar, opened December 1st 2024 {{Cite web |last=Dalling |first=Robert |date=2024-12-01 |title=The highest restaurant in Wales where diners enjoy a panoramic skyline 300ft up |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/altitude-28-meridian-tower-swansea-30483672?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawJuAK1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHmWt2W3tSCpcnRO-aewDLvmemH7Lhm1VeQI-Rf1vp-1F4hzl8Snu3oP8NA0N_aem_Vzcaft_B5eDfYuX1S2mJhg#Echobox=1733018334 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Wales Online |language=en}} to replace the previous restaurant Grape and Olive.