Client: Merlin Entertainments
Construction budget: £5million
Completion date: 2009
With its striking presence on the River
Thames, the London Eye has become an instantly recognisable landmark on the
capital’s skyline. Standing
adjacent to the Grade II* County Hall it is the country’s most popular tourist
attraction with over 3 million visitors a year. Approaching its 10th birthday a
multi-million pound rejuvenation project was undertaken.
The main feature of Kay Elliott’s project was the construction of a 4D cinema inside County Hall adjacent to the existing ticket hall. This pre-flight show enhances the visitor experience and adds a new dimension to the attraction. By providing additional entertainment beyond the London Eye experience itself, dwell times are increased giving new owners Merlin Entertainments an enhanced commercial opportunity and visitors a greater insight into this magnificent attraction.
Kay Elliott used its extensive experience of working in sensitive buildings to develop a high quality visitor experience. The modern cinema sits comfortably within the existing rotunda building. The cinema echoes the rotunda’s shape with the tiers sharply falling away to form a dramatic space in which to experience a virtual flight over the capital.
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