Architecture

Vertical cable car under construction in Brighton, UK

Vertical cable car under construction in Brighton, UK
The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
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The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
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The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
The pod will have enough room for up to 200 visitors to stand side-by-side and there will be a small bar and entertainment system on board
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The pod will have enough room for up to 200 visitors to stand side-by-side and there will be a small bar and entertainment system on board
The Brighton i360 can be considered the successor to the London Eye and features the same team that created that popular tourist attraction
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The Brighton i360 can be considered the successor to the London Eye and features the same team that created that popular tourist attraction
The Brighton i360 comprises two primary parts: a large tower, and a glass doughnut-shaped pod
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The Brighton i360 comprises two primary parts: a large tower, and a glass doughnut-shaped pod
It's hoped that the i360 will emulate the London Eye's success
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It's hoped that the i360 will emulate the London Eye's success
The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
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The Brighton i360, by architecture firm Marks Barfield
Over the course of a 20 minute journey, the pod will climb from ground level to a height of height of 138 m (452ft)
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Over the course of a 20 minute journey, the pod will climb from ground level to a height of height of 138 m (452ft)
The Brighton i360 is scheduled to open in 2016 and the organizers hope to attract at least 700,000 visitors per year
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The Brighton i360 is scheduled to open in 2016 and the organizers hope to attract at least 700,000 visitors per year
The Brighton i360 is being promoted as the world's first vertical cable car, though a similar structure is already in operation in Weymouth
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The Brighton i360 is being promoted as the world's first vertical cable car, though a similar structure is already in operation in Weymouth
The pod will have a small bar and entertainment system on board
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The pod will have a small bar and entertainment system on board
According to the Brighton i360 team's figures, it could generate around £25 million (around US$42 million) for Brighton per year
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According to the Brighton i360 team's figures, it could generate around £25 million (around US$42 million) for Brighton per year
View gallery - 11 images

Popular English tourist spot Brighton will soon gain a new landmark to join its famous pier. The same team responsible for the London Eye ferris wheel has started work on a large-scale observation tower dubbed the Brighton i360. The observation tower will feature a large glass pod that offers views of up to 30 miles away (48.2 km) on a clear sunny day.

Designed by architecture firm Marks Barfield, the Brighton i360 comprises two primary sections: a large tower, and a pod shaped a bit like a futuristic glass doughnut. Over the course of a 20 minute journey, the pod will ascend the tower to reach a height of 138 m (452 ft). According to Marks Barfield, the pod climbs the tower using the same basic mechanism that's used in a standard cable car.

The pod will have a small bar and entertainment system on board
The pod will have a small bar and entertainment system on board

There will be enough room for up to 200 visitors to stand side-by-side inside the pod, and a small bar and entertainment system is on board. A large restaurant, retail spaces, an exhibition space, and conference spaces are planned for ground level.

Some sustainable technology is also slated for Brighton i360. Interior spaces will be cooled using natural ventilation, and the toilets will use harvested rainwater and efficient "low-flow" wash basins. The pod sports double-glazed windows and all electricity required for operating the observation tower will come from renewable sources.

The Brighton i360 is scheduled to open in 2016 and the organizers hope to attract at least 700,000 visitors per year, which – according to the Brighton i360 team's figures – could generate around £25 million (around US$42 million) for Brighton per year.

Source: Brighton i360

View gallery - 11 images
4 comments
4 comments
JPAR
What an ugly monstrosity! They could have spent the money rebuilding the burnt down Victorian pier, and perhaps put some novelty 'ride in the air' thing at the end of it......(mini-London eye) ..... and can't wait to see the bar prices.......
f8lee
Yeah, but that view on a "clear sunny day"! For those 5 days a year, it'll be well worth all the cost and ugliness!
agulesin
"the same basic mechanism that's used in a standard cable car." they mean an electric motor and some gearing/cables. Amazing innovation isn't it?
Shame they couldn't get the shadows on the first picture to agree with each other, why not portray a typical Brighton (cloudy) day?
Yusoff Hashim
Well, Malaysia already have on - Taming Sari Tower http://goo.gl/eIHws2