Nine Elms Bridge
Structurally, the footbridge is made of two space frame arches. Their efficiency allows us to span the entire Thames crossing in one large leap, largely catering for the fluidity of river traffic between supports.
The two arches provide us with a continuous upper support from which could be suspended a variety of deck forms. This has the added value of freeing the bridge engineering works from the timely process of community design.
The structural height and limited bracing elements within the space frames are capitalized to create a pathway within the arch which culminates in the observatory platform.
The observatory platform itself serves the structural function of acting as a wide strut, linking the two arches and increasing their stability.
The bridge is also a platform for enjoying London - a landmark in its own right, the scale of the structural challenge is harnessed to discover a new public realm, high above the town.
