Architecture

River Hull Footbridge turns pedestrians into passengers

River Hull Footbridge turns pedestrians into passengers
The River Hull Footbridge was completed in May of this year (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The River Hull Footbridge was completed in May of this year (Photo: Timothy Soar)
View 36 Images
The rotation process occurs at a sedate 0.15 m per second (0.5 ft per second) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The rotation process occurs at a sedate 0.15 m per second (0.5 ft per second) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The cost of the footbridge was £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The cost of the footbridge was £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The hub section contains a restaurant space, which sports a viewing platform on its roof (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The hub section contains a restaurant space, which sports a viewing platform on its roof (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Artist Nayan Kulkarni was tasked with creating a sound installation to both enhance the experience of crossing the bridge, and offer warning when it is in action (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Artist Nayan Kulkarni was tasked with creating a sound installation to both enhance the experience of crossing the bridge, and offer warning when it is in action (Photo: Timothy Soar)
A full rotation takes around two minutes (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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A full rotation takes around two minutes (Photo: Timothy Soar)
River Hull Footbridge was completed in May this year, at a cost of £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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River Hull Footbridge was completed in May this year, at a cost of £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
A full rotation takes around two minutes (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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A full rotation takes around two minutes (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The nearby area has been renovated, with increased flood defenses, stepped gardens, and a central square (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The nearby area has been renovated, with increased flood defenses, stepped gardens, and a central square (Photo: Timothy Soar)
River Hull Footbridge was completed in May this year, at a cost of £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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River Hull Footbridge was completed in May this year, at a cost of £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The footbridge echoes Hull's proud maritime history (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The footbridge echoes Hull's proud maritime history (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The footbridge contains a seating area (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The footbridge contains a seating area (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The footbridge is located east of Hull's city center (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The footbridge is located east of Hull's city center (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The footbridge echoes Hull's proud maritime history (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The footbridge echoes Hull's proud maritime history (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The cost of the footbridge was £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The cost of the footbridge was £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The River Hull Footbridge is the result of an international design competition held in 2005 (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The River Hull Footbridge is the result of an international design competition held in 2005 (Photo: Timothy Soar)
A steel spine cantilevers 35 m (114 ft) over the water of the River Hull, and supports both a long, gradual walkway, and a shorter, steeper counterpart (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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A steel spine cantilevers 35 m (114 ft) over the water of the River Hull, and supports both a long, gradual walkway, and a shorter, steeper counterpart (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The River Hull Footbridge was completed in May of this year (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The River Hull Footbridge was completed in May of this year (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The footbridge is located east of Hull's city center (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The footbridge is located east of Hull's city center (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The pedestrians can actually wait on the bridge as the rotating process takes place (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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The pedestrians can actually wait on the bridge as the rotating process takes place (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Lights define the footbridge's shape to onlookers at night (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Lights define the footbridge's shape to onlookers at night (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Lights define the footbridge's shape to onlookers at night (Photo: Timothy Soar)
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Lights define the footbridge's shape to onlookers at night (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
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Architectural drawing of the River Hull Footbridge (Image: McDowell+Benedetti)
View gallery - 36 images

To the east of Hull's city center lies a new footbridge connecting the English city's Old Town conservation area to an industrial space currently undergoing redevelopment. While most footbridges probably wouldn't warrant mention on Gizmag's pages, this particular footbridge, designed by architects McDowell+Benedetti, features a novel mechanical system that enables people to "ride" across the River Hull as the bridge slowly rotates to make way for water-based traffic.

The result of an international design competition originally held in 2005, the River Hull Footbridge consists of two main elements: a large circular hub allowing access from the west side, and a steel spine which cantilevers 35 m (114 ft) over the water of the River Hull. The steel spine supports both a long and gradual walkway, and a shorter, steeper walkway.

The bridge arches, thus allowing smaller river traffic to pass beneath without issue. However, when larger vessels require access, an electrical drive mechanism rotates the walkway section of the footbridge out of the way.

Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)
Photo showing the rotation of the bridge (Photo: Timothy Soar)

In what's thought to perhaps be a feature completely unique to the River Hull Footbridge, the pedestrians (or passengers) can actually wait on the structure as it rotates. Indeed, the west bank entrance has no barriers, and moves so slowly that people can step on and off as they wish. This process occurs at a sedate 0.15 m per second (0.5 ft per second), and is monitored by a human operator.

To allow movement, the footbridge's walkway section is set upon a series of wheels which in turn run atop a circular track, 16 m (52 ft) in diameter. A total of three electric gear units drive the footbridge mechanism forward, and thus pivot it around a central slew bearing, in a way likened to a railway turntable by McDowell+Benedetti.

The rotation process occurs at a sedate 0.15 m per second (0.5 ft per second) (Photo: Timothy Soar)
The rotation process occurs at a sedate 0.15 m per second (0.5 ft per second) (Photo: Timothy Soar)

The hub section contains a restaurant space, with a viewing platform on its roof. Artist Nayan Kulkarni was tasked with creating a sound installation to both enhance the experience of crossing the footbridge, and offer audible warning when it is about to go into action.

Lighting consultancy Sutton Vane Associates also played its part in providing a suitable atmosphere to the structure, by integrating lights into the balustrade that purposely allow light over onto the water at night, defining its shape to onlookers. There are also lights which synchronize with Kulkarni's sound installation.

The area surrounding the footbridge has not been neglected, with increased flood defenses, stepped gardens, and a central square all recently completed.

The River Hull Footbridge project was completed in May of this year, at a cost of £7 million (roughly US$11.3 million).

Source: McDowell+Benedetti

View gallery - 36 images
5 comments
5 comments
Strauski
A circular "island" anchored to a post in the center of the river could rotate about the post from one side of the river to the other if the post were attached to the island eccentrically.
Jon Smith
Sure is ugly, function over form I guess.
piperTom
It's pretty and interesting. It's also massive and that cantilevered part has to be much overbuilt compared to a conventional bridge. They could've built it high enough to pass ships under for half the price.
Phillip Noe
Looks like a lot of bother and expense for an over-built monstrosity. How about a high arching walkway, counter weighted elevators, or even catapults?
dalroth5
Ah yes, everything you guys say is true, but what you might not know is that Hull (actually, Kingston-upon-Hull, but let's not get picky) is competing hard for a few crumbs of handout from central government...sorry, for the privilege of labelling itself 'City of Culture' in 2017, so all sorts of silly 'artistic' things are going to be the new waste of money for a few years.