Ireland's Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) has announced that Buro Happold and Explorations Architecture have won the competition to design the Metro West-Liffey Valley Bridge. The rail bridge will have a slender suspended design, with the suspension cable crossing the deck in elevation to provide support from below.
Buro Happold bridge engineer Adam Allegri said: "Buro Happold collaborated with Explorations Architecture to develop the concept of a bridge, driven by a desire to minimise the visual impact of the bridge across the Liffey Valley. With the bridge sited in a naturally delicate and sensitive area, the design team developed an innovative, low-rise slender suspended bridge which is subtle yet expressive. The optimum combination of structural efficiency and visual subtlety has been achieved by allowing the suspension cable to cross the deck in elevation and provide support from below. As the cable crosses the deck users will be able to walk safely down an extraordinary promenade that follows the cable profile of the bridge."
The jury had selected five entries from 24 to go forward to the second stage. All five finalists were highly praised by the assessors, who were unanimous in selecting Buro Happold and Explorations Architecture as the winner.
The design is considered to be wholly in keeping with its environment and addresses fully the requirement to minimise impact on the valley whilst offering users the opportunity to experience the setting. The assessors described the solution as iconic yet understated.
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland administered the competition.
The unsuccessful shortlist submissions were:
- Foster + Partners / Flint + Neill
- Aedas Architects / Alan Baxter Structural Engineers
- Scott Wilson Scotland / B+M Architecture
- Heneghan Peng Architects / Arup
