I wrote earlier in the year about the initial design, which was clunky, ugly and generally pretty piss poor. Unsurprisingly it attracted a lot of complaints.
For once Greenwich Council stood up to the developers (who are building the footbridge in exchange for getting a few more storeys on top of the biggest block) and insisted something more appropriate was developed.
The documents were published on the planning website last week, only to be hastily pulled a couple of days later, apparently because the details were still being finalised.
Happily they were up there long enough for us snooping bloggers to take advantage, hence I offer you the following (possibly exclusive?) sneak peek of what to expect.
Credit where it's due - this elegant little cable-stayed bridge which presumably rotates around the tower to open the Creek for larger boats, looks like it might do the trick very nicely. As someone who's regularly disappointed by the architectural calibre of local developments, I await further details and an official announcement with some excitement.
Until then, shhh!
6 comments:
any timescale on when it might turn up?
Sally
Looks as though it's a far better solution than the original design, which seemed to be intended to allow boats to pass without the bridge having to be lifted or swung. In the five years I've been cycling along the A200 to and from work, I've had to wait for boats to pass only twice while the road bridge opens: it's not exactly the English Channel.
The new bridge will really connect the Greenwich waterfront with the Deptford waterfront for the first time. The first time ever, probably.
@sally depends how long it takes for the application to go in (apparently imminent) and for it to gain approval. I would reckon on about a year for construction.
@alan I believe the bridge has to be raised fairly regularly for the barges to access the concrete works just upstream, but it's all tide-related so opening times will change. More frequent openings could be required if the Thames Tunnel works upstream use the Creek to take out spoil and deliver materials, as Thames Water is proposing.
It's a good job the river police have stayed nearby in one of the images, just in case the bridge does turn out to be a crime against architecture. It's so hard to tell in visuals like this as the real quality of the bridge will come through detailing, materials and execution.
As long as it's not a fake cable-stayed bridge with floppy cables!
A huge improvement on the earlier scheme but, as Gareth says, it's all going to be in the details.
Architects in Paddington are having to come up with something similar to cross the Grand Union Canal. I really like their design: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ultratravel/the-next-big-thing/10062100/The-Fan-Bridge-Paddingtons-new-landmark.html
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