In the small village of Bathampton, there was a recurring risk to the safety of locals and school children as they were forced to commute to school across a hazardous bridge that is busy with traffic. This scheme looked to solve the problem by providing a separate bridge which will also give back to the community.
By taking a contemporary and minimal approach, the bridge sits comfortably within its surroundings with limited impact on the local environment. It is located along the Kennet and Avon canal path, a popular place especially during summer, one of the main focuses of the bridge design was its accessibility to pedestrians, cyclist and wheelchair users. This is a natural and logical solution to the challenges faced.
We worked together to create a solution that was structurally necessary but also visually beautiful and complimentary to the picturesque rural surroundings. A closed steel torsion box follows the optimum profile and sweep of the deck at the deepest point. This creates a curved and tapered underside to the bridge. Reflection of the structural action reduces the volume of material and keeps the depth of the bridge to a minimum.
The main structure of the bridge will be from a pre-weathered steel with stainless steel handrails to minimise long term maintenance and allow the bridge to blend with the natural tones of the surroundings. The top surface of the deck will be a gravel set in resin bonded steel plate, which will continue the look of the gravel cycle path as it sweeps up onto the deck. Some landscaping changes will be made to the site, such as the public footpath being moved, and ground levels being raised or lowered.
