Kingsgate Bridge

Kingsgate Bridge is a footbridge over the River Wear in Durham, constructed in 1963. Designed by engineer Ove Arup and Partners, it is made of reinforced concrete using white cement and Shap granite, with surfaces that have been grit blasted. The bridge features two trough-shaped lengths of deck, each supported by V-shaped legs that rest on a single support at the base of the V. The halves of the bridge were built on the banks and then rotated to meet in the middle of the river.

The bridge is connected by bronze expansion joints in the parapets, which are shaped like a T and a U turned 90 degrees and interlocking, symbolizing the connection between the Town and the University. Water spouts at regular intervals drain the deck and add rhythm to the elevations. The tops of the parapets are shaped for structural integrity and to provide a comfortable surface to touch. This striking and well-crafted bridge was personally designed by Sir Ove Arup and was commissioned by the University of Durham. It received a Civic Trust Award in 1965 and won the Concrete Society Certificate of Outstanding Performance in the Mature Structures Category in 1993.