The Redevelopment of the Ferris Wheel

In a first step, the 45 meter high and 31 year old Ferris wheel will be dismantled. Parallel to the dismantling of the gondolas, spokes, masts and the Ferris wheel rim, the so-called orienting material testing will be carried out to determine which parts of the Ferris wheel are suitable for rehabilitation. This depends on the condition, stress and quality of the construction material. The testing is carried out with the involvement of the TÜV.

In parallel to the material tests scheduled for this year, an interdisciplinary team of engineers and artists is developing a design idea for the future Ferris wheel and its historic location. The goal is to artistically reinterpret the Ferris wheel in the sense of the overall concept of the Spreepark as a park for art, culture and nature and to make it even more attractive.

The actual refurbishment work will follow the orienting material testing. Until then, the parts of the dismantled Ferris wheel will remain on the Spreepark site, where all potentially reusable components are expected to undergo detailed material testing starting in May 2022. Subsequently, the refurbishment work will begin at the plant from 2023.

The Ferris wheel with its 40 gondolas was put into operation in 1989 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the GDR as the "largest Ferris wheel in Europe" and was operated until the amusement park closed in 2001. Since then, it has been exposed without restriction to environmental influences and, in parts, to vandalism. Routine maintenance measures and control inspections were no longer carried out. In 2014, initial condition investigations with regard to stability and recommissioning already took place. After the transfer of the site to Grün Berlin, a comprehensive as-built assessment was carried out in 2017.