UNStudio has revealed plans to build the world’s largest spokeless Ferris wheel in Seoul, South Korea, in partnership with Arup and Heerim Architects. Known as the Seoul Twin Eye, this remarkable monument will be situated atop a 40-meter-tall cultural complex. Its diameter is 180 meters, and its maximum height reaches an astounding 220 meters.
The Seoul Twin Eye’s unique spokeless design is what makes it unique. It has two crossing rings instead of the traditional Ferris wheel mechanism, around which 64 pods will rotate to provide amazing views of the surroundings. More than 1,400 people can ride the wheel at once because each pod can hold up to 25 guests.
The inspiration behind the design stems from the Honcheonsigye, an astronomical clock symbolizing the movement of celestial objects through time. UNStudio’s focus on unity is evident in the double-ring structure of the Seoul Twin Eye, providing both stability and a distinctive aesthetic.
Arup, renowned for its expertise in structural engineering, collaborated with UNStudio to ensure the project’s earthquake and wind resistance. The spokeless design allows the pods to move along a track-based system, situated both inside and outside the rings, offering a dynamic experience unlike traditional Ferris wheels.
The Seoul Twin Eye project extends beyond the Ferris wheel itself, incorporating additional features such as a monorail connecting a local subway station to the attraction and an exhilarating zip line.
This ambitious concept appears to be a development of the Seoul Ring project, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled the year before. The project is scheduled to start in 2025 and be finished in 2028. The Seoul Twin Eye, a feat of engineering and a symbol of unification, is ready to completely change Seoul’s skyline and raise the bar for futuristic, spokeless Ferris wheel architecture.