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BUSINESS NEWS JACOBS PLAYS KEY ROLE IN BRITISH AIRWAYS I360 OBSERVATION TOWER Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has joined celebrations to mark the launch of British Airways i360, a unique visitor attraction that opened on Brighton seafront in the United Kingdom on August 4. Jacobs was the engineer and project manager for construction of the attraction, which was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects . At 162 meters tall and 3.9 meters wide, British Airways i360 is the world’s tallest moving observation tower and is recognized by Guinness World Records as the most slender tower. The tower incorporates a futuristic glass viewing pod that glides up to a height of 138 meters, providing 360-degree views of up to 26 miles of the south coast of England. 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. Commenting on the official opening, Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure Senior Vice President Bob Duff stated, “We are absolutely delighted to be closely associated with this unique engineering structure and visitor attraction. Jacobs was part of the team that designed and built the London Eye, still the U.K.’s most popular paid-for visitor attraction 16 years after its opening. That same team of architects, engineers, and contractors have blended creativity with advanced technology and capability to create British Airways i360.

We’re tremendously proud of the team and our role in the project.” Mark Barfield Architects Director David Marks added, “British Airways i360 is the result of a fantastic example of European cooperation. The team includes many key individuals and firms we worked with on the London Eye, and it has been our privilege over the past 12 years to see the commitment, determination, and enterprise with which they have turned the designs and plans into reality. “Located at the landward end of the West Pier on Brighton beach, British Airways i360 is a modern-day ‘vertical pier’ whose purpose is simply to delight, entertain, and inspire. Its design, engineering, and method of construction are innovative, just as the West Pier was in its time. Just as the original pier welcomed Victorian society to ‘walk on water’ and gain a new perspective on the city and its setting between the land and the sea, we invite visitors to ‘walk on air.’” The tower features uniquely designed “sloshing liquid dampers” and a perforated cladding system, which together help prevent wind- induced vibrations. Advanced technology was also adopted for the passenger pod to meet high safety and reliability standards and help maximize passenger comfort and enjoyment. The architects and engineers also worked with the West Pier Trust to rebuild two of the original West Pier toll booths using Victorian building techniques. The rebuilt buildings now grace the entrance to British Airways i360. Each “flight” on the tower carries up to 200 visitors at a time, and the attraction’s visitor

center incorporates a restaurant, a gift shop, and conference and event facilities. Jacobs’ chief engineer on the project, John Roberts, said, “The engineering design for British Airways i360 is underpinned by innovation, experience, and expertise, and results from the effective collaboration of engineers from Britain, France, and the Netherlands, with further important contributions from Australia, Italy, and Spain. “With the planned program of school and student visits and activities based around the project, I am confident the achievements incorporated in British Airways i360 will interest and excite young people and encourage many of them to pursue a career in engineering.” THE FALCON GROUP ANNOUNCES NEW OFFICE IN STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT The Falcon Group , an industry-leading, full-service engineering and architecture firm, announced a new office location to better accommodate foreseen growth and set the stage for significant regional expansion. The new office is part of a new positioning strategy that will provide capacity for increased customer support, engineering, and sales services for the Northeast region. “We are excited about providing more to our client base, in particular, the community and homeowner associations in the region,” said Falcon Group Senior Vice President, David Chesky. “The new office will allow us to increase our capabilities that align with our current and future growth plans.” Falcon’s new Connecticut office is located at 1266 E. Main St., Ste. 700R Stamford, Connecticut.

role, they ultimately affect the way the firm is perceived by clients and thus how the firm prospers or declines. There is no such thing as a completely internal role that does not af- fect the brand. Tell all employees that growth and selling is everyone’s job and make sure they have the proper tools and training to execute that mission. Too many firms have too few people thinking about selling services and growing the firm. An entire company that is focused on projecting a unified and clear brand is a company that will sell more work. A company that is aligned with their clients’ perceptions and constantly working to improve service in every category is a company that will thrive in good times and bad. Good luck! CHAD CLINEHENS is Zweig Group’s executive vice president. Contact him at cclinehens@zweiggroup.com. “A company that is aligned with their clients’ perceptions and constantly working to improve service in every category is a company that will thrive in good times and bad.”

CHAD CLINEHENS, from page 3

are calling. You will likely be shocked at the information gath- ered here. ❚ ❚ Define where you want to go. Having a strong and compel- ling mission and vision are more than just buzzwords in a strategic plan. If they are articulated correctly, they can be a powerful driving force that the entire firm can get behind to produce real results. The key to success here is everyone in the firm must know what they are. Additionally, they must understand the benefit and importance of their participation in that pursuit. When the entire firm is energized to grow and build the business, they all can see their role in the plan. ❚ ❚ Start being the firm you want to be. Take the good, the bad, and the ugly of the self-assessments and be intentional about correcting the deficiencies. Train everyone in the firm to reflect the desired brand attributes in their respective roles. All employees need to understand that no matter what their “When the entire firm is energized to grow and build the business, they all can see their role in the plan.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER September 19, 2016, ISSUE 1168

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