Nine Elms Bridge by Bystrup Architecture

Bridge Over Slick Waters

The completion of the Millennium bridge in 2000 seems to have kicked off a renaissance of bridge-building across the Thames in London. Whilst the garden bridge proposal by Thomas Heatherwick remains stuck on the drawing board, progress with the new Nine Elms bridge linking Pimlico to the rapidly gentrifying area surrounding the Battersea Power Station is gaining momentum rapidly.

Earlier this year images from all 74 entries of the high profile competition to design the bridge were released online, prompting much discussion (and ridicule of some of the more outlandish designs). The proposals have since been whittled down to a shortlist of 4 and the competition jury has now selected the design by Bystrup Architecture as their preferred choice. Their enthusiasm is easy to understand. Bystrup's slick and elegant design features a slim pedestrian and cycle bridge suspended by two needle-like towers. We love the way the bridge merges seamlessly with the riverside walkways at either bank via ramps which coil around the towers like ribbons. This will undoubtedly be a significant boost to the ongoing regeneration of the Nine Elms area.