Structural Designer
Mott MacDonald
Client Name
Leeds City Council
Location
Leeds, United Kingdom
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Judge's comment: The elegant Knostrop Footbridge spans the River Aire in Leeds, over a new weir, part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme. The four spans of the continuous steel box girder are supported on very thin, 2.5m high by 50mm thick, vertical steel plates bolted and cast into the concrete walls between the weirs. Viewed from up or downstream, these plates are hardly visible so that the bridge appears to float over the river. The box girder is made from painted weathering steel and has a smooth curved soffit, changing shape and width to create a gentle sinuous form that gives viewing places above the weirs. Very tight tolerances, an accurate survey of the concrete walls, and a trial erection at the steelworks were all needed to ensure a perfect fit. This beautiful bridge reconnects popular footpaths on either side of the river and gives the passing pedestrian or cyclist a moment for the very human enjoyment of watching falling water.
Judge's comment: