Kingsgate Bridge

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Kingsgate Bridge seen from Durham Students Union, the Cathedral above.
Kingsgate Bridge seen from Durham Students Union, the Cathedral above.

Kingsgate Bridge is a striking, modern reinforced concrete construction footbridge across the River Wear, in Durham, England. It is a Grade I listed building.[1] It was designed in 1963 by Sir Ove Arup personally[1], connecting Bow Lane on the historic peninsula in the centre of Durham to Dunelm House on New Elvet (to which building Arup's studio also contributed), and opened in 1966. Kingsgate Bridge is thought to have been one of Arup's favourite designs of all, having spent many hours working on every detail of the plans.[2]

During a university RAG Week in the early 1960s students suspended a car beneath the bridge.[3]

In 2003, a bronze bust of the head of Arup was installed on the side of Dunelm House, adjacent to the bridge. The sculpture is a copy of a 1987 bust by Diana Brandenburger, held by the National Portrait Gallery.[4] It was unveiled by Karin Perry, Arup's daughter, on 16 April 2003, the 108th anniversary of Arup's birth. The bust was stolen from its plinth during the summer of 2006.[5]

 
Crossings of the River Wear
Upstream
Elvet Bridge
 Kingsgate Bridge
 Downstream
Prebends Bridge

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Listing on imagesofengland.org.uk
  2. ^ Arup, Plaque Commemorates Birth Place of Sir Ove Arup - Engineer and Philosopher, Press Release, 15 June 2000
  3. ^ http://compsoc.dur.ac.uk/~djw/stuff/kingsgate.jpg
  4. ^ NPG 5968; Sir Ove Arup
  5. ^ Statue thieves Arup to no good, The Northern Echo, 6 November 2006

[edit] External links

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