siandara
high water castleford sept 26th
Rewards
Castleford Bridge
Designed by Renato Benedetti of McDowell Benedetti and constructed by Costain, the bridge was opened in 2008. At the opening event Wakefield Council Leader, Peter Box said: " This is an historic moment for Castleford as we open this wonderful new bridge. It represents the culmination of strong partnership working and an unwavering community commitment to help bring such a project to fruition. I'm also delighted that even before being opened it has been short listed for such a prestigious award. The bridge will be a positive new focus for visitors to Castleford. It will help us attract new interest to the town and open up the potential of the town's riverside area."
Alison Drake from Castleford Heritage Trust added: "Since the beginning when we first chose Renato this has been a goal for the community to achieve. It is about connecting the community with the river and river side. The design has fulfilled all our ambitions."
In 2009 the bridge won the RIBA CABE (Royal Institute of British Architects & the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) Public Space Award.
Sarah Gaventa, Director of CABE Space who sat on the judging panel, believes this bridge has succeeded in pushing the very definition of public space. “No one could have imagined before, that a bridge could offer as much as a street, public square, or park. It is a true public space because it can be used and enjoyed by everyone.’
The award recognises the valuable contribution that a well-designed public realm makes to the quality of the built environment.
Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward said: "Promenades are more usually associated with Victorian times in our seaside towns rather than Castleford. But Renato (Benedetti] has designed not only a river crossing, but a place to wander, to meet and greet and to reflect on the town's past and to vision it's future on a piece of creative modern art that is fit for a 21st Century Castleford. It is there for the benefit of all, to enjoy and savour. Yorkshire Forward is delighted to have been a part of the strong partnership that has delivered this iconic renaissance project."
The stunning S-shaped bridge across the River Aire links the north and south parts of the town from the bottom of Sagar Street as it meets Aire Street on the south, to the rows of houses on Duck Island at Mill Lane, to the north. The bridge will serve as an alternative to the 200 year-old Victorian road bridge 100m further downstream.
Materials used to construct the bridge include untreated Cumaru timber for the bridge decking and handrail, stainless steel for the balustrades, tension cables, bench panels and a central grille in the timber deck to mark the midpoint of contra-flexure.
The bridge is the first major bridge in the UK which is fully Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. The curved Cumaru timber boards have been sourced from sustainable forests in Brazil and were chosen for their durability (Cumaru is two and half times the density of oak). The decking area is 524m2 and if laid end to end the boards would stretch a distance of 8km. The boards run longitudinally along the bridge and over the benches (with anti-slip strips on the edge) and are fitted together by a unique concealed clamped-fixing system, tailor made for the project. This system avoids invasive drilling and minimises disruption to the bridge’s slender deck and streamlined form. It presents the maximum timber surface to walk on, while allowing the wood to expand, contract and weather naturally.
Lighting is embedded under the Cumaru handrails, which run the 130m length of the bridge. Balustrade posts are curved to reduce climb-ability and a series of stainless steel marker plates which sit flush with the deck and rise up from the benches, create arm rests to define personal space and to dissuade skateboarders from edge ‘grinding.’
The understated engineering is subtly innovative and integral with the construction methodology. Four identical 26m curved spans are joined by three 9m support spans, two curved and the third straight (at the central point of contra flexure). The continuous spanning structure consists of two 500mm x 400mm box beams, with one box beam increasing in depth to 1000mm, to provide the additional strength required for each long span. This extra structure rises above the deck in a gentle curve to create generous benches in a wave-like rhythm over the length of the bridge, minimising overall bridge height while maintaining the 1 in 100 year estimated flood water-clearance required by the Environment Agency.
The three white bridge supports also minimise visual impact and disruption of river flow. Twinned double steel columns branch off foundation caps in a ‘V’ formation spreading the load at bridge level. The base of these columns is permanently below water to emphasise thinness. Twinned stainless steel fins cantilever off the main spanning beams, between which bearers for the timber decking are fixed. The structural timber deck is unfinished Cumaru boards that span ±800mm between the bearers. Every element contributes structurally to ensure the overall profile is as thin and refined as possible.
high water castleford sept 26th
Rewards
Castleford Bridge
Designed by Renato Benedetti of McDowell Benedetti and constructed by Costain, the bridge was opened in 2008. At the opening event Wakefield Council Leader, Peter Box said: " This is an historic moment for Castleford as we open this wonderful new bridge. It represents the culmination of strong partnership working and an unwavering community commitment to help bring such a project to fruition. I'm also delighted that even before being opened it has been short listed for such a prestigious award. The bridge will be a positive new focus for visitors to Castleford. It will help us attract new interest to the town and open up the potential of the town's riverside area."
Alison Drake from Castleford Heritage Trust added: "Since the beginning when we first chose Renato this has been a goal for the community to achieve. It is about connecting the community with the river and river side. The design has fulfilled all our ambitions."
In 2009 the bridge won the RIBA CABE (Royal Institute of British Architects & the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) Public Space Award.
Sarah Gaventa, Director of CABE Space who sat on the judging panel, believes this bridge has succeeded in pushing the very definition of public space. “No one could have imagined before, that a bridge could offer as much as a street, public square, or park. It is a true public space because it can be used and enjoyed by everyone.’
The award recognises the valuable contribution that a well-designed public realm makes to the quality of the built environment.
Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward said: "Promenades are more usually associated with Victorian times in our seaside towns rather than Castleford. But Renato (Benedetti] has designed not only a river crossing, but a place to wander, to meet and greet and to reflect on the town's past and to vision it's future on a piece of creative modern art that is fit for a 21st Century Castleford. It is there for the benefit of all, to enjoy and savour. Yorkshire Forward is delighted to have been a part of the strong partnership that has delivered this iconic renaissance project."
The stunning S-shaped bridge across the River Aire links the north and south parts of the town from the bottom of Sagar Street as it meets Aire Street on the south, to the rows of houses on Duck Island at Mill Lane, to the north. The bridge will serve as an alternative to the 200 year-old Victorian road bridge 100m further downstream.
Materials used to construct the bridge include untreated Cumaru timber for the bridge decking and handrail, stainless steel for the balustrades, tension cables, bench panels and a central grille in the timber deck to mark the midpoint of contra-flexure.
The bridge is the first major bridge in the UK which is fully Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. The curved Cumaru timber boards have been sourced from sustainable forests in Brazil and were chosen for their durability (Cumaru is two and half times the density of oak). The decking area is 524m2 and if laid end to end the boards would stretch a distance of 8km. The boards run longitudinally along the bridge and over the benches (with anti-slip strips on the edge) and are fitted together by a unique concealed clamped-fixing system, tailor made for the project. This system avoids invasive drilling and minimises disruption to the bridge’s slender deck and streamlined form. It presents the maximum timber surface to walk on, while allowing the wood to expand, contract and weather naturally.
Lighting is embedded under the Cumaru handrails, which run the 130m length of the bridge. Balustrade posts are curved to reduce climb-ability and a series of stainless steel marker plates which sit flush with the deck and rise up from the benches, create arm rests to define personal space and to dissuade skateboarders from edge ‘grinding.’
The understated engineering is subtly innovative and integral with the construction methodology. Four identical 26m curved spans are joined by three 9m support spans, two curved and the third straight (at the central point of contra flexure). The continuous spanning structure consists of two 500mm x 400mm box beams, with one box beam increasing in depth to 1000mm, to provide the additional strength required for each long span. This extra structure rises above the deck in a gentle curve to create generous benches in a wave-like rhythm over the length of the bridge, minimising overall bridge height while maintaining the 1 in 100 year estimated flood water-clearance required by the Environment Agency.
The three white bridge supports also minimise visual impact and disruption of river flow. Twinned double steel columns branch off foundation caps in a ‘V’ formation spreading the load at bridge level. The base of these columns is permanently below water to emphasise thinness. Twinned stainless steel fins cantilever off the main spanning beams, between which bearers for the timber decking are fixed. The structural timber deck is unfinished Cumaru boards that span ±800mm between the bearers. Every element contributes structurally to ensure the overall profile is as thin and refined as possible.