Pooley New Bridge, Penrith Crossing, Cumbria Architecture, Architect, Pictures, News
Pooley New Bridge, Cumbria
1 May 2022
Pooley New Bridge, Penrith, Cumbria, North West England, UK
6 projects have been awarded RIBA North West Awards – including a reimagined library in Liverpool and the UK?s first stainless steel road bridge in Penrith.
Design: Knight Architects

photo © Peter Blair
Pooley New Bridge in Penrith
Jury Report
The new bridge design is the result of a tender by Cumbria County Council following the washing away of the historic crossing point. This catastrophe deeply affected the local community both psychologically and in terms of commercial business since the old bridge created a connection to amenity from the local tourist facilities. The commission was not only to build a new bridge but to initially work with the community to establish the design concept. This engagement was undertaken to gain confidence in the bridge?s design and perceived longevity, whilst also respecting the designated World Heritage landscape setting. The architects produced three design approaches and ran three stakeholder consultations during the design process to ensure that the eventual design became more than just an essential piece of infrastructure within the community but a much loved piece of sculpture.

photo © Sean Conboy
The design takes cues from the consultations but is still a unique piece of design created by the architects. It addresses the Environment Agency?s ...