08 October 2008

Bridge competition debris part 2: Leeds-Liverpool Canal

Here's the second roundup of RIBA bridge competition images, following on from those for New Islington. This time it's the Pennington Road Footbridge competition, for a replacement bridge over a canal in Bootle, Liverpool, which gathered 88 entries.

Again, click on the image for a larger version, and on the link for any relevant information at the designer's website.

Themes this time around? I don't think there are any clear ones. The site's geometry was quite restrictive, and anyone who thought seriously about mobility-impaired access will have had to think hard about how to fit in the ramps, but otherwise there was considerable freedom.

There are some covered bridges (which seems fairly pointless given that the approaches are uncovered). One attempt to reuse and redecorate the existing structure. And one or two tall landmarks which tower over the adjacent housing developments or (in the case of Parklife) look to be a cable short of a full spool.


Also shortlisted

The following were all shortlisted but I've not found any images of their designs online: Arca / Martin Stockley Associates; B&C Associati; Chris Curtis / Elliott Wood Engineers; Julian Hakes Associates / Alan Baxter Engineers; Youssef Ghali.


Not shortlisted
































Post edited 13 October 2008

Here's another one:

Juhana Marttinen + Markus Wikar

3 comments:

Julian said...

For Bootle - Hakes were runner up with what we felt from experience would be a very realistic, durable, affordable bridge. In retrospect our design was possibly a little to urban given the sub-urban context. Still it came second.

Rennato B was RIBA Jury rep I mentioned Kumaru timber as a possible decking material. Renatto asked what it was and noted it down - I smiled to see he had used this for Castle Ford Bridge. (ps: Good luck at Stirling).

I was surprised to see a winning entry selected with diagonal ramp / steps as we had recently been taken on a walk around London by CABE looking as poor DDA environments, with the diagonal ramp stair as a particular bad example.

Also the site was heavily vandalised and we took particular care to design out big flat surfaces or corners for people to hide behind.

As an RIBA bridge assessor the difficulty if often is having the chance to compete or sit on the panel?

Having seen the brief for the London bridge I think it is time those of us with experience to get more involved. I spoke with many notable bridge teams architects and engineers who had flatly chosen not to enter on the basis of the brief and organisation.

Come on Happy P, your bridge competition juries need you. Possibly by skype or video link with darkened out room.

Finally thankyou for taking the time to keep us all informed of the UK and occasionally international scene. It has become a useful part of my daily mobile reading material.

Other recent winning / live Hakes bridges at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hakesassociates/

regards
Julian

The Happy Pontist said...

Many thanks for the input, Julian, it's always a pleasure to hear from those directly involved in the competitions and other news that I cover. I was an unsuccessful entrant at Bootle myself, and vandalism was clearly always going to be a major concern, which makes the winner all the more surprising.

I haven't had the joy of being involved in competition judging yet (whether in darkened or smoke-filled room), but interested parties can contact me at happypontist at googlemail dot com!

Julian said...

You are most welcome. Over the past few years I have always entered the competitions rather than put myself forward as jury member.

However I am often dismayed to then see panel members with little or no experience in this field

RE: HP involvement, the next time I get the chance I will mention it.

Maybe posting the results to HP website should be part of the process or peer review.

Now to find my way out of this darkened, smoke filled room.

regards
Julian

note: website under reworking so Flickr will have regular updates.