Emirates Cable Car (Olympic Games 2012)

The Emirates cable car in the eastern part of London is the first urban cable car in the UK and was opened before the 2012 Summer Olympics. It is named after the airline Emirates, which sponsored 46 million euros of the total cost of 76 million euros.

The cable car connects the O2 Arena with the ExCe London exhibition centre, where the competitions of the Olympic Games were held. During the almost 10-minute journey between the Greenwich district and the Docklands, it offers spectacular views of the city at a height of up to 90 metres above the Thames.

The architect's design for the two terminals envisaged two visually light, independent glazed pavilions that would reflect the path of the cabins as they move around the drive wheels at both ends. They were intended to reflect the inherent machine aesthetics. The upper floors house the boarding platforms, which cantilever outwards above the ticket office on the ground floor.

The Emirates Royal Docks, the smaller of the two terminals, houses the drive motor, while a garage for the maintenance of the cabins is located in an adjacent building of the large terminal. The glass façade made of LINIT^®EcoGlass ‘solar’ is interrupted by transparent windows that provide a view of the internal technology.