Arup Associates

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography

QUEEN ELIZABETH QUAY BRIDGE

Arup Associates

ARCHITECTS
Arup Associates

YEAR
2016

CATEGORY
Bridges

Photographs
Jacaranda Photography , Nick Birmingham

ENGINEERING AND NAVAL ARCHITECTURE
Arup

BCA COMPLIANCE
JMG Building Surveyors

LOCATION
Peth, Australia

AREA
15000.0 m²

MANUFACTURERS
Tensile

PUBLIC WORK ARTIST
Stuart Green

LIGHTING DESIGN
Electrolight

CLIENT
Perth Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) and CPB (formerly Leighton) and Broad

Text description provided by architect.

Arup Associates, working in collaboration with Arup engineers in Australia, are celebrating completion of an elegant pedestrian and cycling bridge that spans the inlet of the Swan River in central Perth.

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography

The bridge is effectively a gateway to the central business district, its curvaceous form visually linking the river with the city.

The bridge was officially unveiled to the public on the 29th January with a breath-taking outdoor light and water display showcasing the precinct inlet as the heart of the development.

A striking architectural feature, the 22m high cable-stayed bridge offers impressive 360 degree views across the Swan River and the Perth CBD.

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography

The bridge is central to the bold plan by the West Australian Government to revitalise central Perth, Elizabeth Quay features a stunning 27000 m2 inlet and 15000 m2 promenade, surrounded by a vibrant mix of offices, apartments, hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.

The project returns the city’s focus to the Swan River and provides a world-class waterfront destination for Perth.

The 110m long pedestrian and cyclists’ bridge allows for continuous movement around the Quay.

It connects The Island with the western promenade and Williams Landing, and also links The Island onto the popular ‘bridges’ recreational circuit around the Swan River.

Visitors to the precinct can now run, cycle or even ride a Segway across the bridge as they wander around the promenades and explore the many attractions on offer.

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Nick Birmingham
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Nick Birmingham

“It’s very rewarding to see our design come to life. We are incredibly proud to have been involved in delivering the bridge and being a part of the transformation of Perth’s Swan River waterfront. It is an iconic project that will forever change the way people enjoy one of the country’s most vibrant and diverse cities.”

– Alistair Avern-Taplin, Perth Office Leader, Arup was engaged by managing contractor Leighton Broad to design the project, and worked closely with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority to provide multi-disciplinary services from detailed design through to construction completion.

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Nick Birmingham

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Given the bridge’s unique but constrained location, and the considerable level change required for clearance height for vessels, Arup’s team of architects and engineers knew that the bridge’s design needed to be longer and more complex than a simple ‘straight line bridge’.

In response the architects, using parametric design tools, started to play with complex curves, therefore lengthening the path, while the engineers developed a structural diagram to mirror this proposal.

This resulted in the beginnings of a design that echoed what the bridge needed to provide functionality-wise, while incorporating aesthetically appealing design curves, an easily-accessible pathway and a sound structure.

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Nick Birmingham

The concept design was driven by a desire to have a simple but iconic form that respected the Quay’s existing master plan, while ensuring that the structure took full advantage of its spectacularly unique location.

“The architect’s unique sculptured form for the cable-stayed bridge presented an interesting design challenge which Arup’s engineers enjoyed creating design solutions for.”

Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Nick Birmingham
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
© Jacaranda Photography

– Alistair Avern-Taplin, Perth Office Leader, Arup The architects and engineers worked closely together from the outset of the design using analysis software to create efficiencies in the arches geometry relative to the bridge deck geometry. This ensured that the arches dramatic leans were optimised in their cross-sectional form with the critical structural support they provide.

Nick Birmingham, Project Architect, Arup Associates, London, said: “The local and luxurious Jarrah timber decking, resonates strongly with the West Australian maritime context. In contrast, the complex parametric steel forms, refined stainless steel details and dynamic lighting solutions propel the project into the contemporary context.”

Arup is very proud of what has been achieved in the design of the Elizabeth Quay pedestrian and cyclist bridge, and we are delighted to now present this stunning completed project to the West Australian public.


Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
Elevation
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
Elevation


Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
Section
Queen Elizabeth Quay Bridge
Plan

Arup Associates
T +44 20 76361531
Arup Associates
8 Fitzroy Street, London, London W1T 4Bq, Gb, United Kingdom