Dublin steals the london eye

Davy · 22-07-2009 6:12pm #1

Wonder how good these will turn out. Seems to be taken well in london, well with tourists anyway.

Link

Dublin set for London Eye-styled attraction
Wednesday July 22 2009

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority says the new Point Village area has been chosen as the location for a planned London Eye-style observation wheel in the capital.

The wheel, which has yet to receive planning permission, is set to cost around €10m.

It will include enclosed capsules offering views across the rooftops of Dublin.

The DDDA says the wheel will be run as part of the Point Square scheme, which will also include regular free concerts, markets and big-screen sporting events.

lightening · 22-07-2009 7:41pm

should be good, hopefully a revenue spinner, get more tourists. Pity it has to be more or less the exact same as London.

Blisterman · 22-07-2009 7:48pm

How tall is it going to be?

Davy · 22-07-2009 7:48pm

I bet it will be smaller

The one in london is a real revenue spinner, last time i was over there they were charging about 6 pound for some sort of programme for it.

admiralofthefleet · 22-07-2009 7:50pm

where it is going to be is a little out of the way even though the point village and luas are going to be there.
i posted a good while ago about making d'olier street/westmoreland a massive open public space, it would cool there

Davy · 22-07-2009 7:56pm

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

where it is going to be is a little out of the way even though the point village and luas are going to be there.

Clarification Re Press Release on behalf of Point Village

Contrary to the impression given in a press release issued today, 22 July 2009 on behalf of the Point Village, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority has made no decision on a site for an observation wheel. The Authority is currently involved in a tender process considering Expressions of Interest for supply, construction and operation of an observation wheel for a number of sites in the Docklands area.

However, we understand that Crosbie Property Holdings are in discussions with wheel suppliers for a similar project at a site in the Point Village.

Link

wheres me jumpa · 23-07-2009 6:37pm

It does feel a little copycat. Im just not sure how interesting Dublin will be from a height. London is a geographically huge city, so when you are on the London Eye you can miles and miles of city, dotted with interesting buildings / sites cutting into the skyline.

lightening · 23-07-2009 7:22pm

wheres me jumpa wrote: »

Im just not sure how interesting Dublin will be from a height.

It's actually lovely, the bay, the islands and the Wicklow mountains surrounding the city, lots and lost of domes and spires.... on a good day! Coast means mist on some days.

Dancor · 23-07-2009 7:49pm

Feck all this copycat stuff. I assume London was not the first place with a big wheel and it couldnt expect to be the last.

lightening · 23-07-2009 8:14pm

dancor wrote: »

Feck all this copycat stuff. I assume London was not the first place with a big wheel and it couldnt expect to be the last.

Dead right, does anyone remember a cable car plan? That would have had the views.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=40164780

Ste.phen · 23-07-2009 8:59pm

1) Gravity bar gives just as good a view I think, except it's more Westerly
2) Belfast already has one, can we not at least be SECOND to use an idea? Does it have to be third?!

carlmango11 · 24-07-2009 12:58am

This is cringe-worthy. Completely shows this country's lack of originality, if England does it and it works, we'll copy it. Why the hell can't we be innovative!? Not only will it make us look like idiots, the only thing you'll be able to see is a load of suburbs and the Ballymun flats, at least in London they're not terrified of tall buildings so there's actually a couple of things to look at.

A monument pillar with an observation deck or even a tall building would have been better in my opinion. We really are a pack of backward fools still sitting on England's back. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

</rant>

Sorry...

lightening · 24-07-2009 6:26am

Ballymun flats were tall buildings.

Ste.phen · 24-07-2009 7:51am

carlmango11 wrote: »

A monument pillar with an observation deck or even a tall building would have been better in my opinion. We really are a pack of backward fools still sitting on England's back. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

I think we tried that once before, it all fell to pieces.

KTRIC · 24-07-2009 7:57am

Ste.phen wrote: »

I think we tried that once before, it all fell to pieces.

Yes, if I recall correctly a large Irish construction company demolished it in 1966. And a great job they did too

scorpioishere · 24-07-2009 8:02am

That a huge sum of money and it should be use for good cause as we are in recession. There's no need to copy London by having a similar London eye here. The mess should be clean first.

lightening · 24-07-2009 9:17am

scorpioishere wrote: »

That a huge sum of money and it should be use for good cause as we are in recession.

As pointed out before, it will bring in revenue. London's one has made huge profits. If we baton down the hatches we won't bring in tourism.

Bluetonic · 24-07-2009 9:22am

scorpioishere wrote: »

That a huge sum of money and it should be use for good cause as we are in recession. The mess should be clean first.

Private enterprises, which will be footing the cash, can do what they like with their money.

For the record looks like we will have two, one on DDDA land and one in the Point Village.

Ibrahimovic91 · 25-07-2009 1:06pm

This just won't work here. FFS develop one of the piers into like an american style boardwalk or something, that would actually serve a purpose and offer some fun.

Yixian · 30-07-2009 8:18pm

At the very least one of the Eye bids should be converted into some other kind of observation point, like a tower.

How about something like this?

Centre Point Tower in Sydney

or

Sky Tower in Auckland

Restrict the shaft to elevators, offset costs with shops in the base and put your observation deck at the top. Wouldn't cost as much as you'd think.

The views of the mountains and the sea from a tall enough tower would be far more spectacular than the relatively more low level view from a wheel. I mean have any of you guys been on the London Eye? Apart from the view of the Thames it's a pretty ugly sight. These things need to be much taller.