In December 2014, a contest was announced to choose a bridge design to span the River Thames. The entries were at first anonymous to keep in agreement with the European Union competitive procurement rules and regulations. Now, as of March 2015, four finalists out of 74 received entries have been proclaimed in the huge competition to present a design for building the new walkway and bicycle crossing over the river. The bridge is slated to connect Nine Elms and Pimlico, so that bikers and walkers can get from one side to the other and enjoy the South Bank.
There are several distinct designs for the Thames Bridge:
The fourth design is from Ove Arup & Partners and was produced with Grant Associates and Hopkins Architects. This bridge shows one with curved ramps giving entry at both sides, using pillars as structural support instead of an arch.
The design finalists of the third concept also come through Ove Arup & Partners Ltd. The design shows a bridge with a suspension arch and S-curve ramps at both sides to gain access. The design was done in collaboration with Gross Max, design concept from AL_A, Equals Consulting and the firm of Movement Strategies.
The second finalist group is from Bystrup Architecture Design and Engineering, joined by Aarsleff and AF Lighting, Sven Ole Hansen ApS, as well as Robin Snell & Partners. This version shows a bridge with a slender, fluid design featuring helical ramps that lead to a slightly curved span.
Number one among the finalists is from Buro Happold Limited, with J&L Gibbons Landscape Architects, Gardiner and Theobald and Marks Barfield Architects. This design features a bridge with a high, slim, suspension column at one end of it.
Some of the possible designs are more practical than others, and some seem to be reminiscent of past eras, while others look very futuristic.
Officials say they want both a functional and a beautiful bridge as the one that will be built, as it will be a sort of monument to show the city as the world’s greatest city. The new bridge is expected to attract more than seven million people a year and bring another three million visitors to the South Bank.
The bridge design finalists were carefully chosen by a jury including Lambeth Councillor Joanne Simpson, Ravi Govindia, council leader for Wandworth, as well as engineer Henry Bardsley, architect Graham Stirk, and additionally the Design Council Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) chair Pam Alexander. They also considered feedback that was received from more than 1,000 citizens and got technical valuations for each of the bridge proposals.
Now, these finalists must develop their ideas into designs with more details and then the final winner will be chosen later in July 2015. The project has already been partially paid for, but a new bridge also requires planning permission prior to being completed.
All of the entered designs are shown on the bridge contest website at: www.nepbridgecompeition.co.uk
