In the Eye of the engineers

• Sucessfully delivered in 15 months one of the most complex engineering projects of its time.
• 32 hi-tech caplusles carry 24 passengers each, rotating at 0.9km/h, with one revolution taking 30 minutes.
• The Eye has won more than 85 awards for national and international tourism, outstanding architectural quality and engineering achievement.

The wheel was constructed to a demanding and complex schedule. Working to a fixed deadline and coordinating multiple work packages from across Europe, we developed unique and innovative solutions to make the impossible, possible.

The assembly of the wheel took place on temporary platforms constructed in the River Thames, from which they were hoisted into place during a 17 hour, two stage lift. Off-site manufacturing played a crucial role in building the structure. The main wheel was fabricated in sections in Holland, while the main arm holding the wheel up was fabricated by Skoda in Sweden. The 32 passenger capsules, which were designed and fabricated by Poma in France, were transported by road and then, along with the other components, brought up the river by barge to the site, creating significant efficiencies.

The Eye has won more than 85 awards for national and international tourism, outstanding architectural quality and engineering achievement. Many of the techniques had not been attempted before and the technology was therefore unproven.

Twenty-five years after it opened on 9 March 2000, the project is still described as an ‘engineering triumph.’ It has raised the profile of construction engineers with the general public, and shows what can be achieved when a project team comes together with a fixed goal and deadline.