Built on the north bank of the Tagus river, it is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama (the first European to arrive in India by sail, in 1498).

Parque Expo received permission to expand along the riverside in order to build a 20-floor, 178-room luxury hotel, a plan by Portuguese architect Nuno Leónidas.

[citation needed] The architects of the tower were Leonor Janeiro, Nick Jacobs and SOM (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill) and assembled by engineering company Martifer.

[4] This area is occupied by exposition spaces and vestibule with access to panoramic elevators that intersperse the tower to the restaurant and viewing platform.

[4] The tower is defined by a vertical "mast" and a metallic, tubular "sail", surmounted by a 120-metre (390 ft) platform forming a "crow's nest", corresponding to the rotating restaurant and visitors viewing area.