SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: Electric Vehicles and the Future of the Automotive Market

However, implementing autonomous transportation systems is no easy task, from perfecting the technology to sorting out legal matters. Take a look at these 6 early-adapting cities around the world that have embarked on the road to driverless transportation systems.

Singapore

Last year, the city-state became the first in the world to launch an automated taxi service. While many companies such as Uber have been testing driverless taxi systems, no one has launched a working model yet. Singapore’s autonomous taxi service launched by nuTonomy only has six cars, but the company has plans to have a full fleet of driverless taxis on Singapore roads by 2018. For now, the fleet consists of modified Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi i-MiEV electrics that have an emergency driver at the wheel and researchers who ride in the back to gather data. The service is expected to drastically reduce the number of vehicles on Singapore’s congested roads.

Singapore is the first city in the world to have a running autonomous taxi service. (Source: Auto Evolution)

Los Angeles

After much delay, city officials finally made it legal to test driverless vehicles in L.A. this year, and by 2020, the city could have fully autonomous vehicles operating on its roads. So far, 43 companies such as General Motors, Apple and Uber have testing permits in California, which means that a driver must be at the wheel, prepared to take over in case of an emergency. The Department of Motor Vehicles will finalize the rules and regulations surrounding autonomous vehicle testing in 2018. Autonomous transportation is a sector that will continue to generate much investment, and L.A. was already losing business to other cities in the U.S. due to its regulatory restrictions. With the new guidelines in place, the city can expect to be bustling with startup activity and innovative solutions to its transportation challenges.

For now, L.A. law requires drivers at the wheel of every autonomous vehicle. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Munich

Germany is home to the most advanced automakers in the world, and in August 2017, German lawmakers drew up the guidelines for operating autonomous vehicles. Under the new guidelines, all autonomous vehicle software must be programmed in such a way that human life will be protected at any cost, over animals and property. Germany’s Transportation Ministry is the first in the world to draw up such guidelines for automated driving, and wide-implementation of autonomous transportation is expected to follow, starting with Munich.

Munich Airport now provides autonomous shuttle services between Terminal 2 and a satellite facility. (Source: Bombardier)

Recently, Munich Airport launched an autonomous shuttle service that links Terminal 2 to a new infield satellite facility with an underground train. The trains are called INNOVIA Automated People Mover (APM) 300 and were built by Bombardier. The train tunnel is 382 meters and will have the capacity to move 10,900 passengers every hour in either direction.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is another early-adapting city with plans to have autonomous transportation up and running throughout the entire city. However, the city’s first attempt at automated transportation ended badly when their automated shuttle bus collided with a semi-truck less than 2 hours after its debut. The cause of the accident was a delivery truck that backed into the bus. The shuttle was equipped with LiDAR sensors to map the roads. It was also fitted with cameras to identify obstacles on its path, and GPS locators for operators to locate the shuttle’s location. Despite the advanced systems, the city learned the hard way it cannot control what others do on the roads.

The truck hit the autonomous bus that didn’t have the ability to reverse. (Source: MBTMag)

China’s Zhuzhou City

Many good things are happening in China in terms of autonomous transportation. Recently in Zhuzhou, an autonomous, caterpillar-like bus was spotted. The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), was developed by CCRC, a Beijing-based company that deals with the supply of rail transit equipment. It moves along Zhuzhou roads via sensors and can travel up to 70km per hour on its electric batteries and is expected to cut carbon emissions and ease traffic congestion.

The ART looks like a cross between a bus and a train and glides through the city using sensors. (Source: Curbed)

London

In September, the UK’s first driverless bus was tested in London’s Olympic Park. Interestingly, residents, visitors and tourists were invited to take part in the test runs throughout the month of September, free of charge. Like other autonomous buses, this electric bus navigates the roads via sensors, cameras and GPS maps. So far, the tests have been successful and the city hopes to implement the buses throughout the city in the near future. Take a look at some of the initial reactions.

Going into 2018, companies such as Uber, General Motors and BMW are expected to continue investing in autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing services. As more and more cities fine-tune their regulations and guidelines surrounding such modes of transportation, the world should see driverless transportation options pop up in more places, with fewer errors, providing more sustainable transportation systems.

Cover photo courtesy of Business Insider. 

Here are ten interesting ways steel is used at sea.

Early Ships

In 1940, the construction of the world’s first all-welded ship, the SS Exchequer, was completed in Mississippi, US. The steel plates of the cargo vessel’s hull were welded end-to-end rather than overlapped and riveted—a technique that revolutionized shipbuilding at the time.

Since then, ships have been made almost exclusively of welded steel, thanks to the material’s affordability and lightweight properties.

Flood Protection

Steel plays a crucial role in protecting our lands from floods. Its durability and sheer strength make it an ideal underwater barrier to protect cities that are at high risk of flooding.

The Thames Barrier, for example, fortifies central London from floods caused by tidal surges. Weighing in at 3,700 tons, the barrier is made up of 10 steel gates and stretches 520 meters across the Thames River, the UK’s most famous waterway.

Artificial Reefs

Hurricane-resistant steel has been used to create hundreds of wave-resistant barriers that surround the shorelines of the Caribbean, American Gulf Coast and Southeast Asia.

Some of these steel reefs have been designed to force waves to break offshore and deposit their energy in a different area than directly on the coastline, thus protecting beaches. Others hold in sediment on beaches to prevent coastal erosion, while still others promote water activities like surfing.

Marine Life Preservation

What do you get when you toss some 25,000 decommissioned New York subway cars into the ocean? A marine life habitat, of course.

Primarily consisting of steel, the Redbird Reef off the eastern coast of the United States has functioned as a source of sanctuary and food for marine life, offering more viable conditions for the growth of nutrients and organisms than the sand bottom.

Meanwhile, other materials like steel slag have been used to promote marine forestation in damaged marine ecosystems.

Powering Renewable Energy

Steel is an essential material used in the development of tidal energy solutions worldwide, from the poles which secure turbines to the ground to their rotating blades. Considering the fact that tidal energy could eventually satisfy more than 20 percent of global energy demand, steel plays a key role in unlocking the renewable energy capacity of our oceans.

Similarly, steel makes up around 80 percent of all materials used to construct wind turbines that emit minimal carbon dioxide when producing energy.

Megaships

When it comes to building the world’s biggest megaships, there’s no material as favored by engineers than steel.

Take the Royal Caribbean International’s Harmony of the Seas cruise ship, for example. It was constructed with 227,000 tons of steel—enough material to build 31 Eiffel Towers. Standing upright, it is 210 feet tall, more than three times the height of London’s Olympic Stadium, and is nearly as long as four soccer fields combined.

Undersea Tunnels

Noting the comparable advantages undersea tunnels have over bridges, like their ability to divert traffic and not be affected by external factors, city planners began incorporating them into city layouts in the late 1800s.

The first notion of the Channel Tunnel, which connects England and France, was proposed in 1802, but didn’t become a reality until the 1960s. With 400 trains carrying 50,000 passengers and 54,000 tons of freight passing through it every day, steel reinforces other materials to keep the tunnel strong and sturdy.

Shipping

Ninety percent of global cargo is carried by sea. Because the size of steel ships and containers allows for enormous loads to be transported in a single trip, the majority of the 17 million shipping containers currently in use are made from steel.

Included among these shipping giants are Maersk’s Triple-E, the largest cargo ship in the world. It can fit approximately 18,000 shipping containers—enough space for 36,000 cars or 108 million pairs of sneakers!

Submarines

While submarine designs and oceanic capabilities have advanced over the centuries, one thing has remained constant—their steel construction.

Steel has the ability to withstand corrosion and avoid oxidizing reactions such as rust. It is also lightweight enough that it can be fast and effective in maneuvering underwater. As a result, the submarine’s steel body has enabled it to accomplish extraordinary expeditions, including James Cameron’s DEEPSEA CHALLENGER’s voyage to the deepest known part of the Earth.

Connecting the World

Steel is essential in the construction of canals. It is used to form the structure which supports the entire operation and is also utilized to make the locks so that they are tough enough to withstand extreme forces like water pressure.

The Panama Canal, for instance, is the largest canal in the world, with around 14,000 ships passing through it annually. Thanks to a system of large steel locks, the canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

This article is based on the #lovesteel materials published by the World Steel Association.

Submarines: The Ocean’s Steel Whales

Steel Solutions in Wind Power

Steel Wonders of the World: The Panama Canal

Water World: The Past, Present and Future of Undersea Tunnels

Making Waves in Ocean Conservation

Recycled Steel Changing the Way the World Uses Metal

Be sure you never miss any of the exciting steel stories from The Steel Wire by subscribing to our blog.

A Macro Look into Olympic Steel

In 2012, the city of London took initiative in creating a sustainable “green games” to offset the impact the Olympics can have on its host city. Planning for the Olympic site began by choosing an area where improvement was needed and beneficial for the community, rather than reclaiming land that might have negative repercussions for surrounding areas.

Four main stadiums were constructed for the 2012 games using sustainable methods which reduced carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. Steel played a major role in all four stadium designs, setting a standard for what future Olympic stadiums can strive to achieve.

Climate Home closely examined the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Center, Velodrome and Basketball Arena, providing an in-depth look at how each was constructed.

With a capacity to hold 80,000 spectators, the Olympic Stadium intertwined elements of temporary and permanent into its design, minimizing the need for excess construction materials. The stadium’s construction only consumed 10,000 tons of steel, making it the lightest Olympic stadium to date. The sustainable use of steel allowed the stadium to be partially deconstructed when the Games were over, leaving the main structure intact and ready for two local football clubs that took ownership after the Games.

The renowned and highly-regarded architect Zaha Hadid was commissioned to design London 2012’s Aquatic Center. Built to contain over 10 million liters of water, the Aquatic Center was the event’s second largest venue. Also designed only for temporary use, the stadium’s seating was made using steel and phthalate-free PVC wrap that could be dissembled when the Games were over.

The most iconic of the London 2012 venues as well as the most sustainable is the Velodrome, built for track cycling events. Climate Home mentions that the most striking feature of the Velodrome, which is still regularly used, is the use of a cable-net roof design – ‘strung’ with steel cables like a tennis racket – meaning conventional steel beams were not required. The Velodrome’s innovative steel design cut overall construction time down by 20 weeks.

Lastly and the most temporary of the four steel Olympic structures is the Basketball Arena. The venue, which was used almost every day during the Games’ duration, was made up of 1,000 tons of steel and was covered in 20,000 square meters of recyclable white PVC fabric. After the venue’s deconstruction, various parts were relocated and reused for other events.

A Micro Look into Olympic Steel

Looking deeper into how steel is used in the Olympics outside of venues and large facilities, you will find the illustrious metal being lifted beyond human strength, lunging at torsos and hurled across grassy fields. Steel is used in many sports like track and field, weightlifting and fencing, allowing athletes to truly test their limits.

Fencing, a sport that dates back centuries, has three disciplines: sabre, foil and epee. Each discipline requires a different weapon that varies in size, weight and design. All three weapons have one thing in common – they are made of maraging steel, an ultra-strength alloy used in aeronautics and military weapons. Wired.com says that what makes the steel ideal for fencing is a crack in the blade tends to spread 10 times slower than a crack in carbon steel, so the blades are more robust and won’t break as often.

On the heavier side, specialty steels are used to make the bar that holds the barbells in Olympic weightlifting events. The steel bars used are designed to withstand 1-1/2 tons with breaking or losing its shape. Often, the bars will bend while being lifted; however, they are made to do so with built-in elasticity that allows the bar to spring back into shape after each lift.

Making its way to track and field, steel cannonball-like shot puts can be seen flying through the air. The shot put ball is made of different kinds of materials depending on its intended use, however, the most common type of balls are made of cast iron, solid steel and stainless steel. Men’s competition shot weighs 7.26 kilograms and the women’s shot weighs 4 kilograms. The objective is to hurl the ball as far as possible within a certain number of tries.

Gold, Silver, Bronze and Steel

Steel has an incredibly important role in the Olympic Games. Without it, stadiums and other venues would not have the strength or durability to contain elite athletes, global media and excited spectators. Sporting events like fencing, weightlifting and select track and field events would limited by the use of other metals, and would not permit the competitors to push their limits and achieve the impossible.

The use of steel in future Olympic Games will continue to play an integral part on both a macro scale with stadium and venue construction, and on a micro scale with varying sporting equipment – making it possibly the fourth most important metal in the games after gold, silver and bronze.

Be sure you never miss any of the exciting steel stories from The Steel Wire by subscribing to our blog.

Steel and Skyscrapers: A Brief History

The history of skyscrapers dates back to the second half of the 19th century when steel became a cornerstone of the world’s industrial economy. Steel framing and steel reinforced concrete made “curtain-wall” architecture possible, which led to the world’s first skyscrapers. Steel further evolved the capabilities of skyscrapers, allowing them to reach new heights. From the humble beginnings of the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, built in Chicago in 1895 and standing 42m, skyscrapers now reach extraordinary heights.

Here are the four tallest skyscrapers in four of the regions of the world today. 

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Middle East

Rising to 829.8m over the gulf city of Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Designed by Skidmore Owings and Merill (SOM), the Burj Khalifa used a bundled tube design and a composite of steel and concrete to reach its record height. The Burj Khalifa employed a bundled tube system which is a system of construction that uses an interconnected frame of steel tubes. Thirty-nine thousand tons of steel rebar was needed for the construction. The Burj Khalifa houses a mix of residential, corporate and retail space.

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, Asia

Standing 632m, the 128-story Shanghai Tower is located in Shanghai’s financial district of Lujiazui, Pudong in China. Though currently still under construction, following its topping out in 2013, the Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest building in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Shanghai Tower is the tallest of a group of three adjacent supertall buildings in Pudong and is composed of three important design strategies, the asymmetry of the tower’s shape, its tapering profile and its rounded corners, all of which will allow it to withstand typhoon wind forces common in Shanghai. 

One World Trade Center, New York, North America

Designed by the same firm that designed the Burj Khalifa, the 104-story One World Trade Center reaches a height of 417m. Including the spire, its total height is 541m (1,776 ft.), a tribute to 1776, the year the U.S. won its independence. Surpassing the Willis Tower (formerly Sear’s Tower) in Chicago, the One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S. The tower’s structure is designed around a strong, but lightweight, steel frame made of beams and columns. The lighter structures enabled savings in greenhouse gases and a 30 percent decrease in carbon emissions during construction. There are 70 elevators and nine escalators in the One World Trade Center. (Image: http://bit.ly/1DsqmBK)

The Shard, London, European Union

The Shard is a 72-story glass pyramid tower, rising above the city of London. It was completed in 2012, and stands 245m. The design uses an intelligent combination of steel and concrete. Steel structures were used from the ground floor to the 40th floor. From there to the 69th floor, concrete replaces the framing material, before the design reverts back to steel. Construction required 12,000 tons of steel.

As the world continues to grow and urbanize the ability to adapt building structures and materials will continue to evolve. Steel will continue to be essential in helping the world’s buildings reach new heights.

The infographic below shows how each of these four gravity-defying structures compare. See how each stack up in height and the amount of steel necessary to make each possible. (Image: http://bit.ly/1eUAFTc)

New York

(From left to right: Tibi, Lacoste and Sally LaPointe
Source: IMAX)

The F/W 2015 collections at New York Fashion Week were all about the return of the ‘70s. Designers brought a softer palette with textual details like fringe and shearling. This fall, glamorous 70s moments are expected to dazzle the fashion streets of New York.

London

(From left to right: Pavane, Timur Kim, Julien Macdonald, Burberry Prorsum and Issa,
Source: Fashionista)

It’s usually difficult to find a key trend that stands out due to the diversity of British designers at London Fashion Week. But this year was different. Continuing from the fringe details showed on New York’s runways, designers this season did not shy away from the same style.

But fashion is not something that exists in fabrics only. Here’s everything you need to know about fashion brought to you by stainless steel.

Surprising Fashion Items That Are Made of Stainless Steel

Watches

(Source: Pebble)

Stainless steel watches sound pretty ordinary since we’ve all seen so many from Casio, Timex, Seiko and more. In 2015, you can now check your email, store your music and download compatible apps with a feather-light device sitting on your wrist. Pebble’s new smartwatch is a stainless steel wearable device with an elegant look and cutting-edge technology. The best part is that the official name of the watch is “Steel.”

Bags

(Source: Wendy Stevens Website)

Using stainless steel as the key material, Wendy Stevens creates whimsical yet classic bags of various sizes and shapes. From a tiny purse to a big tote bag, her steel bags are certainly state-of-art fashion items that suggest a new approach to this edgy material.

Shoes

(Source: Caters News Agency)

There are shoes made of stainless steel, the same metal as your knives and forks. British shoe designer Chris Shellis revealed the “Borgezie Riviera Stiletto,” world’s first everlasting high heels. According to press releases, these shiny heels are surprisingly comfortable because there are silicone linings and removable soles that flex with your feet. If you are looking for a lifetime supply of a single pair, these heels are the perfect investment for your shoe shelf.

What is Stainless Steel?
According to the International Stainless Steel Forum, stainless steel is an alloy of iron and a small amount of carbon. It was invented in the early 20th century when it was found that adding a certain amount of the metal chromium to ordinary steel results in a glossy and rust-resisting property. This “corrosion resistance” aspect is what makes stainless steel unique.

A historian, an Emmy award-winning British author and a BBC television producer, Deborah Cadbury has written a book called Dreams of Iron and Steel. The book’s main characters are those who ‘overcame the fear for a failure and did not give up on challenging’. Though the book’s time setting is distant from the ‘industrial revolution’, the story does not come across as irrelevant, because the details of each structure’s building process reflect ourselves who are also facing ‘new challenges’ today.

In addition, the subject of ‘steel’ overlaps with the history of POSCO, which started from nothing in the desolate Yeongil Bay in 1968. Both subjects are similar in the way that both had a person with a dream that comes to a reality and the world has changed from it. 

As a BBC television producer, Deborah Cadbury, produced a docudrama series known as ‘Seven Wonders of the Industrial World’ (2003) and started her writing for Dreams of Iron and Steel (2005) at the same time.

The Brooklyn Bridge (1883) 

John Roebling, a U.S immigrant from Germany, won the contract to build the largest bridge that stretches across the East River separating Manhattan and Brooklyn. According to Roebling’s blueprint, it was clear that the structure would develop as a 2km-long masterpiece that possesses both durability and symmetrical delicacy. The foundations were to sink 21m below the water level and the two main 84m-high towers would overlook a panorama of New York City.

However, while seeking for the right spot for the towers, John Roebling was faced with imminent death from a terrible accident. Thus, his son, Washington Roebling continued his father’s legacy as a ‘Man of Steel’ and 14 years of construction finally came to an end in May 24^th, 1883. Transforming the cityscape of New York, the Brooklyn Bridge has become a symbol of Roebling family’s great human spirit.

The Hoover Dam (1936) 

In the late 19^th century, the desert regions of Arizona and Nevada were considered as a hostile environment. Arthur Powell Davis, the Director of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, realized that even the desert regions can flourish by making some improvements. Accordingly, he planned a project to drill through snow-covered highlands and valleys, and to use the 2,253 km-long Colorado River as a source of hydropower. He also intended to stabilize the river, which experiences severe floods and droughts. Started in 1931 and finished by 1936, the Hoover Dam was soon to break all world records with its height equivalent to 60 stories and a volume bigger than the Great Pyramids at Giza.​

At the height of the Great Depression, poverty-stricken workers had to face explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning and sunstrokes, only to earn a few dollars a day. But the construction had to go on. The chief engineer, Frank Crowe, nevertheless, managed to complete ahead of schedule and under budget with his own know-how in structural management. Remaining as another masterpiece that represents an extraordinary ability of humankind, the dam epitomizes a clear evidence of overcoming a limitation through revolutionary structural improvements.

The ‘Great Eastern’ Ship (1858) 

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/13zlY2w)

The ‘Great Eastern’, also known as the ‘crystal palace of the sea’, is distinctive in many ways other than being the largest ship in the world when it first launched on the River Thames in London. For instance, the design incorporated a double hull on the side and the bottom part of the ship which improved the draft line. However, the scale of the ship was too out of the ordinary for its time. Intriguingly, a distinguished mechanical and civil engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel dreamt of ‘creating a floating city made of iron and transporting 4,000 people to Australia, the opposite side of the earth’. Finishing his blueprints in 1852, Brunel initiated the construction on the River Thames in 1857. Living on the ship for two years, he poured his passion into this project. Unfortunately, in September 1959, just before the Great Eastern’s maiden voyage, Brunel died of a terrible stroke. Despite the failure in commercial use, Brunel’s name remains in the shipbuilding history for his colossal-scale ship and shipbuilding techniques.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse (1811)

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1t5eBfA) 

A creator of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, Robert Stevenson is the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson, an author of Treasure Island. The lighthouse was built on a 400m-wide reef 17km out to sea.  Numerous ships went down by crashing into the large reef that was submerged for most of the day. Although everyone believed it to be impossible, the construction of a lighthouse lasted for three years from March 1807 to October 1810. During the process, many workers were sacrificed and the structure collapsed a few times. Battling against the difficulties, Stevenson finally completed the lighthouse in February 1811. To this day, the lighthouse shines out across the North Sea forever.

Bazalgette’s London Sewers (1874)

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1CtGfFM) 

In the 1800’s, over 30,000 people died from three epidemics of cholera in London. In the summer of 1858, while the Great Eastern was preparing for her maiden voyage, the ‘Great Stink’ was sweeping through the city. A 37-year-old civil engineer, Joseph Bazalgette proposed a bold scheme for the problem. It only took him 12 weeks to outline his solution for the problem that lasted for hundreds of years. The key to his proposal was ‘simplicity’.

Previous sewage system and pipes all lead to both sides of the river. Bazalgette’s plan was to simply move various pipes and link the sewers to be connected. The plan seemed easy on the surface but the reality required to link 130km of sewage superhighway and 1,600km of street sewers, creating one large network of underground sewer system. It seemed as an implausible challenge at the time but eventually Bazalgette’s design brought the first modern sewer system. It not only saved the city of London and its inhabitants, but also became a standard model of sewer systems worldwide.

The Panama Canal (1914) 

The first person to plan an excavation of the Panama Canal was Charles V, the emperor of Spain in 1529. However, the actual project was discussed only in 1881 by a Frenchman, Vicomte Ferdinand de Lesseps, who completed building the Suez Canal in 1869. Regardless of his age at 74, Ferdinand de Lesseps had a vision to cut a path across continent through Panama connecting the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Although the plan was grandiose, the project execution faced insurmountable difficulties. The workers faced the tropical heat of Panama, impenetrable jungle, devastating mudslides, deathly tropical diseases and other obstacles. The lavish dream had cost lives of many workers and left company to bankrupt in 1889. To top it off, Vicomte Ferdinand de Lesseps also died soon after. The vivid dream eventually came true 25 years under the leadership of civil engineer, Colonel George Washington Goethals.

The Panama Canal is perceived as a miraculous triumph of technology in modern history. Being the longest canal in the history, the 80km-long Panama Canal took 35 years to complete. Moreover, the construction cost approximately 639 million dollars and lives of 25,000 workers. This sacrifice, however, achieved a miracle of shortening a 22,000km-long journey to a 9,500km journey of traveling from New York to San Francisco.

The Transcontinental Railway (1869) 

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1ACtjLw) 

During the American Civil War in 1857, the hero of the Union Army General William T. Sherman said “This will be the work of giants. And, President Lincoln is the only person that I know who can battle through this.” ‘This’ refers to the Transcontinental Railway, reaching across the American continent. Back then, it took about 6 months to travel from New York to California by ship. Under the administration of Abraham Lincoln, the Transcontinental Railway’s construction came to a start in 1860, in the midst of the American Civil War. As a solution to reunite the separated nation, Lincoln decided to initiate the railway construction which was possible due to repeated successes in the steel industry. Two railroad companies, Central Pacific Railroad Company from the west and Union Pacific Railroad Company from the east, started the construction separately from each end of the line. The completed railways were finally opened in 1869. About a decade later, it was possible to make the record of 83 hours and 39 minutes to travel 5,600km across the continent. Consequently, the railways acted as a catalyst for the U.S to develop as a key industrial nation.

As these unique masterpieces suggest, the slow but evolving industrial revolution was accomplished by continuous effort and endless passion of our ancestors. As they were the individuals who struggled to realize their dreams and leave marks on the world, POSCO will inherit their ambitions and continue to pursue further advancements of the overall industry.

Waterfront Revitalization – The River Thames in London, United Kingdom
Historically, metropolitan cities have settled around water streams. London, the capital city of the United Kingdom, is a historically renowned city that is located in the riversides of the River Thames. For a long time, London has been the center of politics, economy, culture and transportation throughout the nation. Leading the industrial revolution, the United Kingdom was able to build larger structures in a shorter period by using cement, glass, and steel – the materials of modern architecture. As a result, many landmark structures were established. Today, we would like to talk about the River Thames of London, the iconic city of industrialization, and the landmarks surrounding the river.

Building Landmarks around the River Thames

There is a British proverb which says, “A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.” The United Kingdom had gone through fierce phases in the course of national development in cultural, political, industrial and many other aspects. Nowadays, the United Kingdom maintains its reputation as an advanced country and continues its effort to develop further.

As the industrial revolution bloomed in the late 17^th century, the United Kingdom developed into an international city. With the revolution as a momentum, the United Kingdom gained a superior position in international trade and colonial competition, exceeding the main competitors, France and the Netherlands. Ever since the 1980s, London, however, could no longer maintain its previous cityscape. That is, a swell in population caused a lack of urban infrastructure and led to an explosive increase in demands for new buildings. Accordingly, the city realized its urgency for a renewal and development.

Starting from the beginning of the 21^st century, the United Kingdom executed a national-scale development business, the Millennium Projects, under the administration of former Prime Minister John Major. For instance, the project constructed monumental architecture in celebration of the millennium. In fact, the architecture reflects the government’s will to express the new leap of London, transforming into a central city of Western Europe.

With the purpose of creating a new cultural center along the Thames, the project aimed to solve regional imbalances and to proliferate the city’s flow and development that were concentrated around the previous downtown. The outcomes of the Millennium Projects are the following landmarks: 1) The London Eye – a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames, 2) Millennium Dome – located on the Greenwich Peninsula in the South East London, 3) Millennium Bridge –a pedestrian bridge connecting banksides, 4) Tate Modern – a modern art gallery housed in the former Bankside Power Station.

London Eye – A 135m Tall Ferris Wheel with 32 Observation Capsules

The London Eye is located within Jubilee Gardens which is on the bank of the River Thames. Upon its opening in 2000, the London Eye has positioned as a symbol of London along with Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and Big Ben.

Designed by two architects, David Mark and Julia Barfield, the London Eye has observation capsules that are installed in the exterior of the rim. The wheel has a rim diameter of 122 meters and was designed to rotate slowly. Designed by Nic Bailey, the 32 observation capsules of 25 passenger capacity is installed within the wheel, providing the downtown view of London. Completed in 1999, the London Eye was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel (135m) until the construction of China’s Star of Nanchang (160m) in 2006 and the Singapore Flyer (165m) in 2008.

Millennium Dome – The World’s Largest Dome Shaped Exhibition Space

The Millennium Dome is a structure located on the Greenwich Peninsula in South East London, United Kingdom. This landmark was designed by Richard Rogers and was planned to contain 23,000 visitors for exhibitions and concerts. The Millennium Dome has the world’s largest single roof, 100m tall support towers and a 365m-diameter circular dome. The twelve support towers represent 12 months of a year and the 365m-diameter canopy represents the days of a standard year.

In May 2005, the Dome was publicly renamed as ‘The O2’ in a deal with a British telecommunications company O2. The Dome is a multicultural entertainment arena for concerts, movies, exhibitions, and more. Providing a wonderful ambience even in the inside, the Dome is known for its outstanding beauty from a distant view.

Millennium Bridge – A Long Pedestrian Bridge in the River Thames

The Millennium Bridge is a long pedestrian bridge that links St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tate Modern with the River Thames in between. The bridge, constructed in 2000, is a collaborated work of sculptor Sir Anthony Caro and technology of Arup, an engineering company. While the Tower Bridge allows both pedestrian and transportation access, the Millennium Bridge restricts access to pedestrians only. Along with a huge success of the Tate Modern, the bridge triggered regional development in Southwark area and the southern bank of the River Thames.

Tate Modern – A Modern Art Gallery Housed in the Former Power Station

Opened in May 12^th 2000, the Tate Modern is a renovated architecture of Bankside Power Station which was closed in 1981. The British government and Tate group considered the location of the power station as an optimal spot for a gallery. Hence, they proposed a competition for an idea for a new building in 1994.

Consequently, numerous world famous architects had proposed their designs in the competition. The majority of the architects suggested to demolish the abandoned power station and establish a completely new structure. However, two young Swiss architects, Herzog and De Meuron proposed to maintain the exterior and dramatically revamp the interior functions. The British government and the Tate group highly valued this proposal of bestowing a modern interpretation to the interior while preserving the external structure.

Steel and its Infinite Possibilities for the Future Civilization
In every metropolitan cities, landmarks exist to exhibit their prides, and most of those landmarks are constructed with steel.

• The Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai – Built with 125,400 tons of steel, which is 17 times more amount than the weight of steel used for the Eiffel Tower completed in 1889.
• The Statue of Liberty in New York– A steel structure, that is 29.87m high, supports the inner part of the statue
• Tower Bridge in London – One of the landmark structures around the Thames, the Tower Bridge has a steel frame decorated with bricks on the surface. Also, the bridge’s grounding plate is 270m long and weighs about 1,200 tons.

As shown, iron still has a significant role in our daily life, culture, and urban spaces. In the midst of the ongoing steel culture, many cities are incorporating steel in the course of endless development of our civilization.

Including London, cities require sufficient time and patience to form, settle, and run appropriately.  London started as a small settlement along the River Thames, endured the phases of the industrial revolution and has grown into a contemporary city. Thus, the city must continue its effort to preserve and develop the history of London in this ever-changing world.

In 2018, POSCO will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of its establishment. Just as London’s ceaseless evolution along the River Thames, POSCO will continue to progress its endeavor that has developed the economy and flourished the industry through POSCO’s steel.

*This story was originally developed by Hwang, Sang-hee – POSCO A&C Marketing Team, International Architecture Specialist. Participated in international construction projects in Libya, Malaysia and more. Her hobbies are traveling and photography. She is also interested in historical stories about cities.

Pictured here: POSCO’s CEO, Ohjoon Kwon

Direction for POSCO amid Current State of Steel Industry 

In the Financial Times story printed on April 20, CEO Kwon expressed anticipation for POSCO’s future. CEO Kwon, aims to more than double the steelmaker’s operating profit margin to 10 per cent over the next three years. In order to improve profitability and financial strength, CEO Kwon’s goal is to find the most urgent business areas to let go of and to focus on developing technologies to create high-value advanced steel and further invest in core materials business, particularly for lithium and nickel. CEO Kwon elaborated on this during his speech about ‘POSCO the Great’ which you can read about here.

Nickel is an essential component for the production of stainless steel. POSCO is working towards reducing the production costs for nickel by as much as 20 per cent which could in turn reduce costs for stainless steel which is prevalent in every day objects around us including kitchen appliances, medical equipment, exterior walls and roofs and more.

According to the World Steel Association, global steel demand is expected to see lower growth this year. Weak demand and oversupply of steel is an issue that will not disappear any time soon. Demand from China has dropped to 3% from 6.1% last year and it is expected to drop even further to 2.7% in 2015.

Nevertheless, with a strategic focus, CEO Kwon is optimistic for greater performance over the next three years.

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