AIN DUBAI -
Reviving the wheel
In the core of Dubai, the giant wheel Ain Dubai became a hot topic since its debut in October 2021.Offering a stunning view of the city from a sky-high vantage point, it is more than just a ride. It was designed to be a place to celebrate special occasions, to party, to have fun.However, in March 2022 the wheel closed without any warning, allegedly for 'improvement works,' causing quite the stir among the locals, visitors, and the entertainment industry alike.Curiosity ignited, we, at Mindwerx, decided to dive into this mystery head-first.The project was not merely about getting to the technical root of the pause, it was a voyage into different timelines searching for clues that could breathe life back into Ain Dubai.This journey began by tracing the wheel's story from its design, its joyful launch, to its unexpected silence. The aim stretched beyond just kickstarting the rotations. When Ain Dubai spins again, the goal is to ensure it offers an enhanced experience to all. Each piece of information and every timeline explored brought us closer to potential solutions.Sharing these discoveries is exciting for us! This allows us to share what we do and the results we offer.The reports in the following pages were sent by our perceptioneers. Each perceptioneer has their own style of reporting. No perceptioneer sketches in this project.
PERCEPTIONEER #1
Exploring the SituationAfter I prepared for the query, I decided to arrive at the entrance of the main building, close to where the box office is located, on what appears to be “ground” level. Once I was there, the humidity and heat of the place were very strong, and the smell of metal rusting was very prevalent.I took some time to explore and familiarize myself with the area. Nightlife here is amazing! Around the wheel and its building, there are many restaurants and bars.I went inside the wheel building, then went all the way up to the top of the wheel to get a bird's-eye view of the complex and to judge for myself if the view is that breath-taking…it is!I explored some more, and once I became familiar with the place, I took a closer look at the interior of the building; what I saw confirmed to me that the operators have no intention of re-opening any time soon.The ExplorationAll restaurants, shops, kiosks, etc. inside the massive building that houses Ain Dubai Wheel are closed and are not undergoing any type of remodelling or construction. All the kitchen equipment from at least one restaurant and one bar have been removed.Diving deeper into the current situation in Ain Dubai, it became clear to me that the closure wasn't about enhancing the experience but more about the core operations of the wheel itself.There were rumours among employees, weeks before the closure, about safety concerns for guests, employees, and the surrounding buildings - some of which are part of the same complex.To get more information and get a better understanding of the situation, I decided to slide through the history of the wheel from conceptualization to opening night and then to March 14th, 2022, to witness how the closure happened.From what I could gather, opening date was forced. There was some discussions on whether it was not a good idea.There were some engineers and designers involved in the project who were talking about issues with one of the companies involved in the design and construction of the attraction.I could see a gentleman, not from Dubai, European, talking about delaying the opening for a few months to run some tests and make some changes, if necessary.It seems a small miscalculation in the structural design has caused a serious sinking issue. Some of the underwater columns that keep the giant structure and its surrounding land in place are now struggling against the relentless pull of the ocean and the excess weight of the project.This minor oversight caused a ripple effect.It appears to be something related to materials used, or something along those lines.The total weight of the building is off, causing one corner (the South-East) to sink a smidge, just a few millimeters. But oh, how that tiny shift threw things out of balance! It nudged the wheel's center and its center of gravity out of alignment, putting a full stop to the spins of Ain Dubai.With the wheel's smooth spin disrupted, the very backbone of the structure started feeling the strain.As I explored different elements of the wheel, I realized there appeared to be another problem, a consequence of the misalignment. The powerful motors, 25 of the 64 of them tasked with spinning the wheel, began to heat up under the strain of this misalignment. They were heating up so much that they were considered a fire hazard. That was also one of the deciding factors in the closure.OutlookNow, fixing this grand wheel is not going to be a walk in the park. It might even not spin again. We're looking at a solid eight-month stretch of repairs after a meticulous four to five-month planning phase.
The cost of “fixing” the wheel appears to be more than the original investment, which would make no business sense.Assuming they decide to go ahead and try to fix it, it would include strengthening the damaged underwater columns, re-aligning the wheel, and swapping out some of the outer cover of the complex, which houses not just the wheel but a lively hub of shops and eateries.They're thinking about bringing in a new metal alloy to replace some parts of the wheel and the building to cut down on a good 9% of the weight. It might not sound like much, but considering the thousands of tons it weighs, 9% makes a huge difference.The FutureAnd when will the Ain Dubai spin again, you ask?The aim is to have it twirling no later than New Year’s 2025. So, shall we mark our calendars and wait for the day we can take to the skies on this majestic wheel once more?Not so fast!I decided to go to the year 2031, and the wheel is still there, but it is not spinning.What I saw was the ferris wheel, permanently static, and a very futuristic-looking building right at the center of it. The building houses a set of elevators that take guests to the top of the ferris wheel to an observation deck, and also underwater, to what appear to be restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping.The wheel is being used as a giant video screen, although it uses a technology for visuals/video based on “air" that I was not able to understand. I have not seen anything like it before. Something to do with air and sound waves; It looks amazing! I will explore it independently, and I’ll share the results soon.My conclusion, based on my experience at the scene, is that the wheel, as much as everyone wants it to spin again, has reached the point of no return.It seems that it is not about the cost to fix it per se, but about how things have been changing in the world and what people consider entertaining; a giant ferris wheel is no longer as interesting as it was a few years ago.I believe the place has the potential to include other attractions like the underwater shopping and dining experience of 2031.
-end-
PERCEPTIONEER #2
The first round of inquiry revealed that the bones of Ain Dubai, its legs, were grappling with a lack of substantial strength. The choice of material, coupled with a design not fully aligned with the wheel's colossal ambitions, seemed to be at the heart of the dilemma. The term "polycarbonate steel" kept being mentioned, hinting at a possible remedy.The query into the wheel spotlighted a sequence of mechanical discord. Vibrations from the wheel's thermally powered motor disrupted the harmony of the rotating gears, akin to a symphony losing its rhythm. This dissonance led to an increased heat buildup, further taxing the metal bearings, and amplifying the misalignment and vibration issues. The problem was akin to a musical composition where every note resonated with disarray.The proposed solution was a melody of structural reinforcement and material innovation. Imagine an artist seeking to refine his masterpiece, adding strokes of genius to bring harmony to his creation. The team envisioned fortifying the existing legs with a metal known for superior vibration absorption, akin to adding an extra string to a guitar for a richer sound.The next verse in this mechanical song involved encasing the base of the existing legs with this superior metal, aiming to tame the ground-level vibrations. And to address the heat energy exuberance within the metal gear parts, the narrative of remedial action sang the tune of replacing the rotating parts with those made of an improved metal, possibly the aforementioned polycarbonate steel?All these measures were orchestrated behind a veil of a protective screen, a prudent move to uphold public confidence and keep the whispers of uncertainty at bay.Fast forward to 2026, the tune of Ain Dubai evolved with the addition of a third wheel, constructed with the improved vibration-absorbing metal, and new gear parts. The base of the wheel's legs now danced to the rhythm of vibration absorbing steel reinforcement, a change inspired by past learnings.However, despite these significant upgrades, a familiar tune of operational challenges resurfaced. The chronicle of structural design and material choices continued to play the old tunes of dilemma, hinting at a more profound need for a holistic or alternative approach in design and material selection.
PERCEPTIONEER #3
DRONE: My drone brought me back an image of a network with blinking lights.I heard/felt 'neural network.' But strangely, the meeting points of the network were cogs, not dots. Then I saw the center of the ferris wheel with gearing and bearings going out toward the spokes. They were firing in the wrong order. Everything is out of sync. Then I heard 'like sparkplugs' and had a flashback of helping fix my ex's old car.SESSION: I used Portal to hone in on the exact spot where my drone said the issue was. I heard a clicking sound, almost like a metronome keeping time, but it wasn't in sync, just like the drone sent me.There were 2 men beside me and they were talking about reinstalling the firmware for the 4th time. They were NOT happy about that. They both already knew it wouldn't work, but that's what the boss said to do. They were also discussing their home life, which I found very interesting and had to force myself out of eavesdropping to finish the query.I got a couple more flashes of the network and blinking lights, and the impression that whatever they're working on, stems from an update that didn't go well.The software isn't backwards compatible with what they were already using. The company who sold them the program was very insistent that it was, but it never worked and that company ghosted them.
They've tried everything, including AI, quantum learning, the whole deal. No matter what tech they throw at it, they make the problem worse.When I went to 2026 I saw new software completely.They got rid of the company they're using in the present. This new software firm actually advised them to un-automate some of the functions. So the gearing and other mechanisms in the center of the ferris wheel are mechanical again.Back to basics. A lot of the stuff that was machine based is now gearing again. It's very fancy and full of lights and modern / future trappings on the outside, but inside and under it, the controls are rudimentary; And that's working much better.
The underwater section is very interesting. I saw a lot of engineering beneath the ferris wheel, like they created a whole island for it, but that was also having trouble. It's settling faster than it should be. They're doing a better job fixing that part. They know how to do islands and building, so at least they're making progress on the underwater issues while they're trying to figure out the wheel itself.
PERCEPTIONEER #4
I began standing on top of the Ferris wheel and looking around 360.I looked down and through the Ferris wheel and went through it into the water.While in the water I observed a large rectangular structure in front of me, the island to my left with a Ferris wheel, and a tube connected to the structure.To the right of the structure, just a little behind it, I observed a spherical submersible with a transparent front. It had cords or cables attached to it that fed near or to the structure.I left and went back to the Ferris wheel to explore it further. I placed my hands inside of it and received that it had poor structural integrity. I resolved to return to explore it further with a second session shortly after.(2nd Round) I originated at the top of the Ain Dubai.I attempted to see what was causing the malfunction.Not enough structural support, too big, and needs reinforcement.I observed an opaque structure, reminiscent of Lucite, which maintains the view from Dubai to the sea in place. They want to maintain a certain look.I investigated the cars, no one was inside, and determined it was unknown if they need to be slimmed down weight-wise.I also observed a tube running from the ocean side of the Ferris wheel down into the ocean.I asked what it would take to fix it and received “the best engineers and lots of money.” I wasn’t satisfied and received “more structural integrity.”I spent some time feeling the wind and swaying on the top. I then attempted to gather information on the wheel all at once.In our conversation, the Ferris wheel, itself, says it doesn’t care if it runs again. It doesn’t have emotions and is indifferent. I asked if it was a low priority. It confirmed that yes it was a low priority and its benefactors spend money elsewhere. It indicated it was nothing more than a novelty.There were many people there and inside the wheel at one point. It was too much; too Instagram; too many voices. I applied a filter at this point.I asked the wheel about its future and it said even with a team of the best engineers it would take years to get it right.I noticed too much wind. I continued to sway back and forth. This structure is too bulky. More bulk is dangerous.The center of the wheel kept drawing my attention, but I could not make sense of what I was seeing. Something about “double rails.”A restaurant forced its way into my mind. I moved to 2026.It was very hot. I was sweating. The wheel did not appear to be fully functional. It was not moving. I questioned if it was in a testing phase. I saw more structures, there were people around, but not inside of it. I was forced into the ocean by my SC.Underwater, I observed a large rectangular structure in front of me. It was connected to the land by a large tube.Off to the right, a little behind the structure, I observed a spherical submersible vehicle with a transparent circular front.I inspected the interior of the vehicle and it appeared unmanned at the time. It was connected to the main structure by tubes or cables.The scene felt like a place you come and pay to experience full underwater immersion to hang out, to spend more money, and to post about it on social media; an attraction. Not cheap, but it’s a hit and people really like it. It’s a top dollar destination. It had a happy and exciting feeling to it. People wanted to go back and wanted to tell everyone about it.I returned to the structure and I went inside of it.It was like a viewing deck/an upside down glass bottom boat. It had tall windows and a clear ceiling to view underwater.It felt like an observation place or a restaurant.There were people coming and going. I investigated how people got in and out. There was movement through the large tube connecting to it. It felt like a conveyor belt or something with moving parts. The place felt awesome. The thought “Why get a 360 view when you can come underwater and have dinner or whatever?” popped into my head.I checked the status of the wheel one final time and it was not moving; total failure.FINAL THOUGHTS: The Ferris wheel will not run in the future.The underwater novelty attraction is more of a draw and makes more money.
That's it for this project!
Now that you've reached the end of this showcase, we just want to say a big thank you for taking the time to read through the work of our perceptioneers.We hope you enjoyed exploring it as much as we enjoyed working on it!Thanks once again, and we look forward to sharing more of our projects with you.If you're interested in what we do and would like to receive updates from us, feel free to fill in the form and we'll happily add you to our update list.
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*The content showcased within this project is the sole intellectual property of Mindwerx, Probable Futures Consulting, The Ascension Center for Higher Consciousness, and the dedicated perceptioneers engaged in the project initiatives. Any unauthorized copying, reproduction, or utilization of the information contained herein is expressly prohibited. The investigative pursuits and ensuing findings are emblematic of our distinctive approach, unaffiliated and unendorsed by the aforementioned entities or any other related parties. Our exploratory endeavors are fueled by an enduring curiosity and innovative methodologies, prominently XR and PORTAL, facilitating Perceptual Bilocation, aimed at dissecting and apprehending complex scenarios. The service provided is the dissemination of information as it is received, devoid of any advisory essence. The prerogative of how to utilize the information rests solely with the client. Each public project delineated is predicated upon publicly acknowledged challenges, with no involvement from any individual affiliated with the companies or projects presented. Imagery displayed is solely for illustrative purposes. Images conceived by individual perceptioneers are their exclusive property, while images generated via DALLE-3 technology are property of House of Oslo Entertainment. All information presented within this project is the property of Probable Futures Consulting.