Danish company Bystrup has been picked to style a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Thames in west London – the exact same day another crossing was unveiled for the other side of the city.
The Bystrup-led crew, which also includes London architecture studio Robin Snell & Partners, has been suggested as the winner of the Nine Elms to Pimlico Bridge competition, ahead of architects including Amanda Levete and Hopkins.
Featuring a slender structure and spiralling ramps at each ends, the proposal is described by the layout staff as a “minimum, seamless crossing” with single spire masts and an “elegant” winding deck.
It is expected to become London’s 1st pedestrian-and-cycle-only bridge, although London studio reForm Architects is also bidding for this title with a car-totally free bridge proposed between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe.
“From the outset we needed to design and style an elegant bridge that presented simple and uninhibited access for all, with minimal impact landings on each financial institution,” explained studio founder Erik Bystrup, who is also behind the UK’s new pylon design.
“We are really fired up that this will be the very first shared pedestrian and cycle bridge in excess of the Thames, incorporating to the wealthy background of London’s river crossings,” he added.
Bystrup’s layout was selected by a panels of judges that integrated Graham Stirk of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, engineer Henry Bardsley, and council leaders from the London boroughs of Wandsworth and Lambeth.
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It will not be formally announced as the competitors winner until finally following week, as Wandsworth Council still has the power to override the choice if its finance and corporate assets committee aren’t satisfied with the outcome.
The other shortlisted teams were Buro Happold with Marks Barfield Architects and J&L Gibbons Landscape Architects Arup with Amanda Levete Architects and Arup with Hopkins Architects and Grant Associates.
“This was an very difficult decision in between 4 outstanding teams, but ultimately we felt that Bystrup and their partners had the most compelling approach to the issues posed in our quick,” said Stirk.
“Their approach is elegant and simple, they aspire to celebrate the river and create a factor of true attractiveness which is what this bridge need to be,” he continued.
“Their light touch strategy to landing points is commendable and the exploration of lighting and textured surfaces to handle motion across the bridge is both intriguing and inventive. They see the bridge as a sustainable transport link and piece of new public realm which ought to be eye-catching, fun and a pleasure to use.”
The competition for the new pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the Thames was launched by Wandsworth Council at the finish of 2014, and a longlist of 74 designs was unveiled in February.
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The project is expected to value £40 million and is element of a wider £1 billion infrastructure overhaul for the south London area of Nine Elms, which stretches from Battersea to Vauxhall and involves the new US Embassy and Battersea Power Station.
A £26 million contribution of funding from the 9 Elms project has been assigned to the bridge, and more funding possibilities will need to be explored in tandem with the in depth design and style process.
Other members of the style team are wind consultant Sven Ole Hansen, engineers Aarsleff and COWI Engineering, lighting specialist ÅF Lighting, masterplanner Aecom, and arranging advisor DP9.
