One of the more curious occurrences in the architecture of modern cities is how everyone seems to want a ferris wheel, with giant structures currently in the works for Beijing, Berlin and of course Dubai. Stuart Jeffries talked to Jay Pender, commercial manager of World Tourist Attractions, about the appeal of the sky-high structures:
So what is the attraction? "There is something iconic about really big
wheels that gives the impression of modern go-ahead cities," says a
Visit Britain spokeswoman. "In places like York, a modern, gleaming big
wheel can complement the historic sites and architecture." "That's
true," says Pender. "We find that in places like Belfast they have
become symbols of resurgence, which is a nice thing to be associated
with. For instance, we're putting a 60m wheel up at the seafront in
Weston-super-Mare in May, which is just the thing the place needs after
the pier burned down last year. Even though they aren't designed as
permanent structures, people often want them to be permanent because
they become so fondly regarded."
Even the London Eye was supposed to be temporary, but it's still holding court there on the bank of the Thames. Though I adore a good view my fear of heights usually keeps my feet firmly planted on the ground, happy to leave other people to pay $30 to take a turn on the Eye or similar prices for other "observation wheels" around the world. However, I would someday like to ride the Volksprater Riesenrad Ferris Wheel in Vienna, the site of Orson Welles's famous speech in The
Third Man. I want to see the people scurrying around like ants from up there.