Regent’s Canal Bridge

The vast regeneration of the King's Cross railway lands is centred on the Regent’s Canal, which bisects the development site and is crossed by a new highway bridge. The bridge design complements a south-facing canal side urban event space, which is highly popular during the summer months.

The brief called for a high-quality yet understated piece of infrastructure, sensitive to the historic industrial setting and suited to its position at the heart of the development. The form of the road bridge is dictated by the modest 27m span, the highway loading, and the need to carry new large diameter services pipes across the canal.

The primary structure is expressed through a simple precast white concrete ‘picture frame’ across the waterway, counterpointing a high-quality parapet design which forms part of a traffic-calmed pedestrian domain.

Continuous low energy LED lighting is incorporated into the parapet top rail as well as into the stainless-steel pilasters which bookend the bridge. At towpath level, great care was taken in the forming of a fine ribbed soffit and abutment walls to provide a uniform surface for a line of up-lights, which continue the attractive public realm and discourage vandalism.