Centennial Parklands, Sydney Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, NSW Architecture, Australia Structural Design, Images
Centennial Parklands Bridge in Sydney
14 Sep 2022
Design: Sam Crawford Architects
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Photos: Brett Boardman
Centennial Parklands Bridge, NSW
Eel migration spawns shimmering sinuous bridge design The design of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge in a major park in Sydney by Australian firm Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) was inspired by the shape of ?bara? eels and their migration to the Pacific Ocean from the very pond it traverses.

Sam Crawford, director of SCA said: ?The shape, movement and colour of the long-finned eels is reflected in the form and materiality of the bridge design. The bridge celebrates ancient Indigenous culture and is an environmentally sensitive addition to the vast Centennial Parklands, linking them to surrounding areas in inner Sydney.?
The dynamic expression of the bridge draws attention to the incredible and ancient migration of the eel to reproduce, an important aspect of the local Dharawal people?s traditions.* Their journey takes the eels from the park?s ponds, slipping through storm-water drains and canals and sliding and wriggling overland to the salt water at Botany Bay, and then to spawning grounds near New Caledonia thousands of kilometres away.

The sinuous curved shape of the bridge recalls the movement of the eels which swim slowly by means of lateral movements of the body. As they m...