Jacobs wins highest accolade at The Structural Awards 2017 for British Airways i360

British Airways i360 at night. (Photo: Business Wire)

Dallas — Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., engineer and project manager of British Airways i360, was named the recipient of the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence, the highest accolade at The Structural Awards 2017 organized by the Institution of Structural Engineers. The futuristic vertical pier, a unique visitor attraction located in Brighton, U.K., was recognized with the Award for Tall and Slender Structures.

The judging panel described the project as a “remarkable feat of engineering,” praising Jacobs for its use of purpose-designed cladding and sloshing liquid dampers to limit wind-induced dynamic movements, which allowed for the slender structure design. The panel also recognized Jacobs’ skillful work around the many challenges involved with the construction.

“We strongly believe in the development of the most innovative and forward-thinking solutions to achieve performance excellence in all our projects,” said Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure President Bob Pragada. “British Airways i360 is a great example of our ability to blend creativity with advanced technology to deliver highly successful structures all around the world.”

British Airways i360 was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects and engineered by a Jacobs team led by Executive Director of Operations Dr. John Roberts – the same team behind the world renowned London Eye. The British Airways i360 is the world’s tallest moving observation tower and was awarded the Guinness World Record for the most slender tower. It can carry 200 passengers in a glass viewing pod that glides up to a height of approximately 453 feet (138 meters), providing 360-degree views of up to 26 miles of the south coast of England.

Throughout the project, Jacobs provided engineering design, project management, construction design management coordination and inspection services. The company also provided technical planning support during the early stages of the project’s development for aspects such as traffic, noise and environmental impact.

Organized and hosted by The Institution of Structural Engineers, the world’s largest membership body dedicated to the art and science of structural engineering, the annual Structural Awards celebrate the role of structural engineers as innovative, creative design professionals and showcase the world’s cutting edge engineering projects.