Knight Architects

Ordsall Chord

Ordsall Chord

Ordsall Chord

Knight Architects

STATUS
Built

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
Manchester, United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Transport + Infrastructure › Bridge

Ordsall Chord is a vital new rail connection between Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria Stations in Manchester.

Ordsall Chord
Ordsall Chord

Completed in 2018 as part of commissioning client Network Rail’s ‘Northern Hub’ Scheme, the £32m viaduct links the three stations for the first time and provides significant improvements in network capacity, resilience and connectivity.

The weathering steel rail viaduct culminates in the dramatic River Irwell crossing, a distinctive network arch whose curvaceous form swoops below deck level to engage with a new public realm landscape.

Ordsall Chord

Winner of the RIBA North West Building of the Year 2019, the dramatic design has been acclaimed for its catalytic effect on the disused post-industrial setting and its detailed execution.

Knight Architects worked with the AECOM Mott MacDonald JV in order to deliver BDP’s original design, ensuring that the construction methodology and detailing is in keeping with their original concept, emphasising the River Irwell Crossing as a new landmark whilst acknowledging the historic sensitivity of Stevenson’s Bridge nearby.

Knight Architects
T +44 20 39781555
Knight Architects
The Generator, 20 Wharfdale Rd., London N1 9RY, United Kingdom