glasgow bridge comp. submissions

[alan d]

http://www.glasgowbridge.com/

Text and Images on line

[Hugh]

OK - match the submissions to the architects. Always fun. I like what I think is yours Alan, but I'm not going to say which in public.

[alan d]

well thank you Hugh. I think we're on a winner myself.

Of course the last time I felt like this positive was when Gordon and I and Jimmy Gibson of DCM sauntered into the Museum of Scotland for the unveiling of the Parliament submissions. Thought then we'd cracked it then. Five years and £400 million later, well the rest is history

[Michael Pat]

Thanks Alan, some nice ones there. It seems like a funny place for a bridge though, I wonder if it will make any difference to Glasgow having a bridge there. It's very close to the existing bridge which takes the traffic from the southside, and there's very little along there, just offices on one side of the river and almost nothing on the other. I wonder if it will just be used by some people from that red brick apartment development walking to work and then walking home again, but they could just use the existing bridge. I work near it on Waterloo Street but doubt that I will ever have a need to walk across a bridge there. Maybe the bridge will stimulate other developments.

[alan d]

That's part of it Michael, to stimulate other developments on the southside

[mike s]

strange but two of the arch bridges look to me to be the same while neptunes way looks like the new bridge in newcastle that won the stirling prize without the wink . can you say which is your bridge and why is it a secret anyway, alan?

[alan d]

..............It's an anonymous competition so that the designs will be judged on merit rather than the, in some cases, international reputations of the designers. Accordingly can't say and won't say which is ours

The big guns though are easy to spot, work it out for yourself Mike .

[alan d]

www.ajplus.com

See Foster's won a £1.2 billion airport project in Beijing, Paul.

Probably have to staff up then if he gets the bridge as well....maybe have to work a few nights.

[alan d]

http://www.expedition-engineering.co...inal_small.jpg

Nice bridge on the River Tees at Stockton........just when you thought you could not be surprised by another arch.

Expedition Engineering and Spence Associates

[mike s]

when is the bridge winner due to be announced alan? there is nothing on the website that i can see

[alan d]

18th November, I think.

Though there will be a big exhibition of all entries in the Lighthouse at the beginning of December and there is talk of leaving the announcement til then, Mike

[pepe]

A bit confused.

I dont see any reference to "living bridge" in the brief.

The only mentions are in the title of the other thread (Started by alan D)

in one of the schemes.

THe dragonfly one.

And in the evening times article. Which claims that the bridge will incorporate bars and restuarants.

This does not seem to be part of any of the designs, unless you count the river bank areas alongside?

Was this a freudian slip up on your part alan?

As far as the designs go.

I think

CLYDE9: Interesting Design. Doubt the funicular is really neccessary feasible or desired!
GLASGOWS MRROR BRIDGE: Tired old metaphors overlayed onto a standard piece of engineering
LATICE: Cannot even see the bridge in the image, floggin the make it green and natural (plant a few bushes) and everything will be ok
NEPTUNES WAY: A bit too similar to Wilkinson Eyre Millenium Bridge in Newcastle/Gateshaed. Pushes the idea that walking across the bridge is an enjoyable activity that should be prolongued, a bit too far. BUt could be an interesing experience. BUt seems like they have ignored the railway bridge?
PEOPLE CROSSING: More of a pontoon or pier rather than a bridge, very future systems. Again, Trees are not essential.
VIA:Very similar to clyde9 but without the coloured glass and the funicular.
Dont see neccessity for closing it off (the door/canopy)
UNless thats for the observatory?

IF i had to pick one. IT would eithe be The dragonfly or the pontoon.

the mirror, via, are obviously (from the image styles) the two big boys. and they dont really deserve it.

[what?]

the people crossing scheme is by far the most interesting (from what we can see on the web link). is it future systems?

i think it is a good aknowledgement that we may not need to celebrate structural gymnastics on urban bridges of this scale anymore. it was relevant in the past but not so much anymore.
i like the way it manipulates the commonly rigid bottleneck that is a bridge. taking into account route flows connections etc. a place in itself. i really hope this one wins its the only one with some thing relevant to say about a modern bridge.

[alan d]

Winner:
Neptunes Way
Richard Rogers

[Michael Pat]

Have they announced the winner already? That's a strange one - does the curve go towards the kingston bridge or the other way? I still don't think a bridge there will make any difference anyway.