Project Details:
Design: Thomas Randall-Page
Structural engineering: Price & Myers
Mechanical engineering: Eadon Consulting
Fabrication: Cake Industries
Oak bending: Charlie Whinney Studio
Designer Thomas Randall-Page has created a unique footbridge in east London that rotates on its axis to let boats pass. The Cody Dock Rolling Bridge is made from weathering steel and oak and is part of a larger effort by London studio PUP Architects to revitalize the former Victorian dock for pedestrian use. The bridge, which took seven years to develop, has a square design and crosses a small channel in the reflooded dock area. Randall-Page notes that the bridge is the first of its kind to use a series of manual levers for rotation.
The footbridge in east London, called Cody Dock Rolling Bridge, is inspired by Victorian industrial design. Its edges are wrapped in steel gear teeth that rest in a track embedded into the side of the channel. British designer Thomas Randall-Page used this inspiration to create a balanced system that rotates on its axis via a series of manual levers, similar to a canal lock or a drawbridge. The bridge is made of weathering steel and steam-bent oak in their raw untreated state, reflecting the area’s maritime and shipbuilding past.
The Cody Dock Rolling Bridge has cables wrapped around its edges and attached to wenches at either side, allowing it to be manually moved 180 degrees. Thomas Randall-Page prioritized manual control of the bridge for reasons such as not requiring power to operate and easy repair. This manual control also allows operators to identify problems without relying on complex sensors or cut-offs.
Thomas Randall-Page developed the concept for the Cody Dock Rolling Bridge with a fascination for movement and transformation. The bridge’s “hoops” contain scrap steel and concrete ballast to balance the 13-tonne structure as it rolls. According to Randall-Page, the concept was developed specifically for this project’s context, but he enjoys incorporating playfulness into his designs. The bridge’s center of gravity moves horizontally as it is operated.
The bridge’s edges are wrapped in steel gear teeth that rest in a track embedded into the side of the channel, inspired by Victorian industrial design. The bridge weighs 13 tonnes and is balanced with scrap steel and concrete ballast hidden inside the “hoops” that frame the bridge.
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Randall-Page wanted the bridge to be manually controlled, so it requires no power to run and can be easily repaired. A series of cables are wrapped around the edges of the bridge and attached to wenches at either side, allowing it to be moved 180 degrees. While the bridge currently crosses a dead-end channel, as the dock is reflooded, it is expected to be put to functional use as a permanent mooring and dry dock for barge repairs and maintenance.
The dock, originally completed in 1871, has been revitalized by the Gasworks Dock Partnership and is now home to a number of galleries, cafes, and other amenities. The Cody Dock Rolling Bridge is part of a master plan by London studio PUP Architects that is reviving the former Victorian dock on the River Lea for use by pedestrians. Other uniquely designed footbridges include Sam Crawford Architects’ eel-shaped bridge in Sydney and a bridge in the Netherlands created in part from flax.
Photography by Jim Stephenson
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