AT Editor's Award 2024, Buildings that Stand the Test of Time
RIBA Award 2004
AluProgetto Award 2006
Footbridge Award 2005
RFAC Trust/BSkyB Building of the Year Award, Bridge Category 2004
Civic Trust Award 2004
British Construction Industry Awards, Special Award 2003
Twisting high above Floral Street in Covent Garden, the Bridge of Aspiration provides the dancers of the Royal Ballet School with a direct link to the Grade I listed Royal Opera House. The design addresses a series of complex contextual issues and is legible both as a fully integrated component of the buildings it links and as an independent architectural element.
The skewed alignment and different levels of the landing points dictate the form of the crossing, which is geometrically and structurally simple. An aluminium spine beam supports a concertina of 23 square portals with glazed intervals.
These rotate in sequence for the skew in alignment, performing a quarter-turn overall along the length of the bridge. The result is an elegant intervention high above the street, evoking the fluidity and grace of dance whilst providing an eye catching landmark for the school and its connection to the world famous performance venue next door.
Design Development
