Espérance Bridge, London, UK

Espérance Bridge is one of the final infrastructure elements to be delivered on the King’s Cross estate in central London. The 25 m footbridge spans over Regent’s Canal to connect major railway stations and Pancras Square in the south with shopping and eating hotspots in the north. As part of the original King’s Cross masterplan, the bridge strengthens the link between the two halves of the site, enabling visitor flow and giving residents better access to public transport. The bridge also enlivens the canal corridor, providing a platform to observe Camley Street Natural Park to the west and the ghat steps to the east. Designed and constructed during the Covid-19 global pandemic and opening in the summer of 2021, the bridge is an innovative take on a traditional Warren truss bridge that uses tapering and folded steel plates to create an elegant and sculptural form. The bold pomegranate-red carbon steel plates set against the diagonal stainless steel tension ties illustrate the structural behaviour of the Warren truss. Reuse of existing foundations to support the bridge ensured a seamless integration of the abutments into the setting, while also providing cost and carbon benefits.