Dublin Corporation is to go ahead with plans for a new pedestrian bridge over the River Liffey, upstream of the Ha'penny Bridge, following an announcement last night that the competition to design it has been won by a relatively young firm of architects.
Howley Harrington Architects of Sandycove, Co Dublin, designed the winning bridge in collaboration with Price and Myers, a London firm of structural engineers. It was chosen from a final shortlist of six after an international competition which attracted 153 entries.
Mr Sean Harrington said he was "absolutely thrilled" to win the contest, adding, "I still can't quite believe it". The shortlist included such long-established names as Scott Tallon Walker, Ove Arup and Partners and Ahrends Burton Koralek.
The proposed footbridge, which is expected to be built before the end of next year in time for the millennium, is light and elegant in contrast to the rather heavy-handed "Wibbly Wobbly Bridge" proposed by Temple Bar Properties in 1994 and vetoed by An Bord Pleanala.
It will create a new pedestrian link between Eustace Street in Temple Bar and Ormond Quay, supplementing the increasingly congested Ha'penny Bridge, which was built in 1816 and is likely to be closed for major renovation as soon as the new bridge is built.
Mr Harrington said its design had been "inspired by the Ha'penny Bridge" but was "not a copy of it in any way". In this respect, the winners closely followed the corporation's brief which called for something sympathetic in this prominent civic location.
"We have striven to imbue our bridge with the same timeless qualities so that the two bridges, although 182 years apart, sit comfortably together as a pair - each designed and built with the benefit of the most advanced technology of their day," he explained.
Mr Harrington conceded that the winning design is "not a high-kicking structural solution" like some of the other entries. Because of this, it is likely to prove less controversial and should have an easy passage through the planning process, as a corporation project.
The city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, told The Irish Times yesterday that the proposed bridge - estimated at £750,000 - will be built and he was working on a financial package to fund it. The National Lottery is believed to be a potential sponsor.
It is intended that the lightweight metal bridge will be fabricated off-site as a single piece. It will then be floated upstream from the dockland area and lifted into position on pre-prepared abutments by a floating crane, to prevent disruption to traffic on the quays.
The bridge arch has a gentle gradient to make it accessible to disabled people. Short ramps and shallow steps on the north bank and a dropped pavement on the south bank take account of the one-metre difference in quay heights while maintaining a balanced composition.
Concrete abutments, clad in Wicklow granite, "belly out" from the quay walls and naturally extend the pavement areas to ease congestion as people wait for the pedestrian lights to go green. The bridge is also lit by standard lamps and concealed lighting in its brass handrail.
According to Mr Harrington, it will be visible from Dame Street. On the north side of the river, there would be a need to create an archway similar to Merchants' Arch for a new pedestrian route to Middle Abbey Street. Otherwise, the bridge would run into a "blank wall."
It is understood that this problem - a direct consequence of the corporation's decision to switch the axis of the bridge from Jervis Street to Eustace Street - is being addressed by the city architect's department and a design solution is expected shortly.
The assessors for the competition, organised by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland, were: Prof J.W. de Courcy, Mr Gordon Millington (IEI), Mr John Meagher (RIAI), Mr John Martin, deputy planning officer, Mr Jim Barrett, city architect, and Mr Ciaran McNamara, assistant principal officer, Dublin Corporation.
