Olympic Bridge

Nearly three times wider than its 26m span across the River Lea, RAA's proposal for the landmark pedestrian bridge within the London 2012 Olympics site, enjoys the departure from the proportions of more conventional bridges.

Both acrobatic thread, and structural anchor, the bridge seemingly stitches the two opposite banks together using a helical, tubular steel structure.

The ODA’s brief defined two phases in the life of the bridge: Games, and post-Games Legacy stage, during which its capacity and volume are to be reduced dramatically.

RAA's proposal addresses this need through the omission of the 48m wide central section of the bridge structure and deck, leaving two ‘twists’ on either end. These 8m wide footbridges offer sweeping views of the surrounding Park and the river below, while retaining the spirit and overall volume of the original bridge.

RAA's proposal was one of six shortlisted for the Games.