Dukes Meadows Footbridge: A light touch link along the Thames

<p>Dukes Meadows Footbridge is a new pedestrian bridge in Chiswick, West London, positioned beneath the Grade II listed Barnes Bridge. It joins two previously disconnected sections of the Thames Path encouraging recreation and sustainable modes of travel. </p> <p>The distinct alignment, span configuration and consequent structural form directly respond to complex geometric constraints. The result is an elegantly efficient structure that sits comfortably below Joseph Locke’s historic Barnes Bridge. This bridge is very much ‘part of its surroundings’, expressing a connection between context and bridge. The design challenges it overcame include: a wide tidal range exacerbated by frequent flooding, close proximity to a nature reserve, live railway and listed structure and competing stakeholder requirements. </p> <p>A light touch approach to the sensitive site supported a ‘vision of sustainability’ encompassing both longevity and climate resilience. During the prolonged design stage of this bridge, the way we considered carbon in our structures evolved significantly. It was an early example of carbon benchmarking at key milestones, using methods designed specifically for this project that are becoming industry standard. This process reduced the bridge’s carbon footprint while influencing future designs by the team and their peers.</p>