The Blade Gate

The Blade Gate London, UK In 2017 Pilbrow & Partners was invited to develop ideas for a new bridge in east London to improve connectivity and strengthen local economies. The Blade Gate provides a distinctive, elegant and logical response to the challenge of spanning the lower Thames. It will connect existing communities in Wapping and Rotherhithe and promote a wider arc of regeneration between Aldgate and Canada Water. Location Pedestrian movement has historically acted as an engine for development and growth, underpinning vitality and economic activity in cities. River-edge neighbourhoods can be disadvantaged in this respect by decreased connectivity and the resultant lower pedestrian flows. Spaces behind the riverfront itself can feel isolated with few shops and limited activation of the public realm. A pedestrian bridge across the lower Thames has the potential to transform movement on both banks thereby to serve as a powerful engine for regeneration. Pedestrian movement specialists Space Syntax explored 115 potential crossing points between Tower Bridge and the Thames Barrier to assess where a new bridge would offer the greatest benefit. The Blade Gate’s position, connecting Wapping and Rotherhithe, was selected through a scoring matrix which assessed: • The movement potential across the bridge itself; • The increase in pedestrian movement engendered in the neighbouring districts; • The width of the crossing and the availability of suitable landing positions on both banks. On the north bank in Wapping, the bridge picks up the powerful line of movement along Cannon Street Road running north to Whitechapel; to the south, the bridge connects to the major open space of Southwark Park and beyond to the regeneration centres of Canada Water and Old Kent Road. Design A bridge across the lower reaches of the river must accommodate tall ships. The Blade Gate has a central lifting deck that is continuously supported by masts at either end. Counterweights within these towers allow the deck to be rapidly lifted with minimal energy use. The masts provide markers on the lines of approach to the bridge and support lighting for the deck at night. The bridge structure developed with engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan is an optimized steel monocoque structural steel tube which spans 60m between the masts. The variable profile of the deck sections reflects the bending moments acting along the span. The counterweights are glass elements that are exposed within the steel structure of the masts. They drop when the bridge is opened to close the pedestrian route whilst the deck is elevated.