;
;
Standing at 165m – the height of a 42-storey building – the Singapore Flyer is Asia's largest giant observation wheel. Its 28 fully air-conditioned capsules can accommodate up to 28 passengers each. On a clear day, the Flyer offers passengers a 45km panoramic view stretching from Singapore's Marina Bay waterfront across to Malaysia and Indonesia. A complete 'flight' lasts around 30 minutes.
The Arup design team used the experience gained from working on the London Eye to optimise the design of the Singapore Flyer. The team developed a unique spoke cable and rim structure arrangement that simultaneously provides restraint to the radial translational buckling in the plane of the wheel and the torsional buckling along the axis of the rim. The result is a two-dimensional ladder truss structure that creates a lightweight and elegant icon for the Singapore skyline.
Project Summary
1 Asia’s largest observation wheel
165mtall
45kmpanoramic views
An innovative vertical erection method was used to overcome the support structure limitations and space constraints on site. The wheel was erected in a 'pie slice' fashion, with each segment being rotated until all segments were installed.
Singapore's "Sumatra Squall" wind conditions posed a further challenge to the design team. Extensive wind research and dynamic modelling were carried out to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers in windy weather.
The Singapore Flyer was officially opened on 15 April 2008.
Selected awards:
-
Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore (ACES) Design Excellence Awards 2009 - Excellence (Civil & Structural Category)
-
Singapore Structural Steel Society (SSSS) Structural Steel Design Awards 2007 - Winner (Non-Building Structures Category)
