Case study provided by The Brand Council.
The Eye was conceived in 1994 on the kitchen table of London architects, David Marks and Julia Barfield. The husband and wife team designed the wheel as their entry for a competition to design a Millennium landmark for London. The project came to life two years later when British Airways offered to fund the project.
It took seven years and the expertise of hundreds of people from across Europe to then turn the dream into a reality. From the steel makers in Holland to the hub and spindle manufacturers in the Czech Republic, more than 1,700 people worked on the project.
An observation wheel of this scale and sophistication had not been tried before and this created unique challenges for the team. In the Alps for example, an entire village tested the embarkation process on a mocked up boarding platform. On their journey through France to London, the convoy of lorries transporting the futuristic glass capsules had to take a special route to avoid certain bridges. Once all the components were in place over the River Thames, it took a week to lift the Eye into its vertical position.
At 135 metres, the London Eye is the world's tallest observation wheel and the UK's fourth tallest structure. Since opening in March 2000, it has had more than 8m visitors, making it Britain's number one visitor attraction. It has won more than 30 national and international architecture, design, tourism and people's choice awards.
The Eye was always intended to be exclusive but not excluding and this is reflected in the visitor profile -- everyone from week-old babies to those celebrating their 100th birthdays, from proposals to golden anniversaries, from S Club 7 to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Fundamental to the design of the Eye and its facilities was the fact that it had to be accessible to all and, since opening, more than 25,000 disabled visitors have flown the Eye.
Key to this success has been the careful positioning, design and management of the brand's truly unique offering. The logo embodies the Eye's visionary nature and supports its ambition of becoming an emblem for modern Britain. The circle is designed to represent 'a universal symbol of renewal, regeneration, harmony and hope'.
The London Eye also has thoughtful, stylish touches. For example, tickets and other communications referring to day time flights bear an image of the wheel by day; for evening flights, the wheel is shown by night.
In a very short space of time, the British Airways London Eye has become a symbol of modern Britain. Perhaps it is because of the constant, slow turn of the giant wheel and the unrivalled views it offers. Perhaps it is because it represents the steady march of time. Perhaps it is because it combines remarkable design and engineering to create an outstanding monument. Or, maybe, it is simply because it is so beautiful.
漏 2002 The Brand Council
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