foreigneRS

anyone see the programme on bbc1 last night about the british designer thomas heatherwick? was fascinating. what a clever bloke.

what really impressed me was his rolling bridge in london's paddington basin. it looks like a normal bridge, but has to move out of the way to let boats through into the dock. heatherwick gave it some thought and came up with the fantastic idea of the rolling bridge.

here it is in it's normal position as a pedestrian walkway. ok, doesn't look anything special, but i can't see how it's going to open

































then when you want it to open, you operate the hydraulic rams in the joints of the handrail and voila



it starts to roll up and coil away on one side of the water until it's finally done in this position



how cool is that?

if you want to read a bit more about him, there's an article from the guardian that's quite interesting.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magaz...311117,00.html

he's also done the massive 'b for bang' sculpture in manchester

Oranoco

How cool is that!

focusv8

It would be a bit "annoying" if you were still on the bridge when it rolls up.

Is that the same guy going to do a Glass Bridge?


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Andy_R

iTrader: (3)

Class design, so simplistic yet effective

Second picture looks like a series of scissors or a compass(as used in tech drawing) in operation.

Id reckon a few designers will be kicking themselves looking at the way the bridge functions, having used a compass along with other tech tools day in day out.

Cossiebros

Excellent bit of engineering

I like it.

Muzz

That is quality

Growler

think there is one in Nottingham as well

reminds me of a giant Rubik toy

GARETH T

very clever

Anonymous

class

foreigneRS

yes

Graceland

that is amazing, I love things like that - so simple, yet so complex

Graceland

What would be more impressive if it rolled up one section at a time - thus creating the impression like a till roll rolling up - that would be amazing to watch

frog