• Journal of architectural history
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• v.15 no.1 s.45
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• pp.7-27
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• 2006

This study aims to identify and analyze the factors that influenced the construction of London Eye which was led by private groups, including characteristics in progress, differentiated value in design, the combination of technology and design, and construction costs. The results of this study were the followings. 1) London Eye provides a new construction method for a landmark in the downtown in that the architects became the clients of the project which might have been hoarded, procuring the construction costs and completing it by themselves. 2) London Eye presents a space utilization method where undeveloped spaces in the downtown are used in three-dimensions by erecting a structure on the river with a minimum land. 3) The process of design, production and erection is propelled the realization of technical intention design with one system and from at the initial stage, the participation of the engineer where the designer is equal with you must accompany. 4) London Eye is endowed with strong shape by a circle in design concept, which is the simplest geometrical figure, and it provides organic relationship between the past and the present by utilizing historical elements in various ways. 5) The construction was completed through four phases including idea phase, promotion phase, turn-key contract phase, and design-build phase. The most critical factor to the success is derived from the direct contact with Involved companies from the production phase. 6) In a project facing many challenges in terms of technology, the design-build method proves to be a more effective method than turn-key contract in that it may more allocate risks and enable coherent implementation of the core concept in design. The organization for the design-build method was composed of three phases including general affairs, responsible contracting by sector, and cooperative system by sector. Since that was a new concept structure, high-level contractors who hadn't had existing cooperative relationships with one another formed new cooperative relationship, while collaborating companies who had long cooperated led the responsible contracting and sub-cooperative system, which resulted in reduction of risks and time. 7) The major factors to change design were the design characteristics, derived from a technically great combination, and the opening time. 8) A new erection method was applied to London Eye, a structure that overcame the limitation in land and period, and the process of installation demonstrated that it is an important value for the construction of a landmark in the city. 9) In spite of many visitors and tremendous operational income, the factors that London Eye fails to free itself from debts include the construction costs expended double than expected, and interest burden to the investments, which occurred in the course of procuring the costs. Absolute limit in time increased the construction costs, resulting in being a great obstacle in the course of operation.