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Kingsgate Bridge
Kingsgate Bridge is a footbridge over the River Wear, which was built in 1965. The bridge connects Bow Lane in the centre old of Durham to Dunelm House of Durham University. The bridge was designed in 1963 by Ove Arup and Partners and constructed with reinforced concrete. The two halves of the bridge were constructed on the river banks and then rotated to meet over middle of river, and connected by bronze expansion joints - symbolising the connection of Town and University.[1] The bridge is Grade I listed on the National Heritage List for England.
Kingsgate Bridge is a striking, modern reinforced concrete construction footbridge across the River Wear, in Durham, England. It is Grade I listed on the National Heritage List for England. It was personally designed in 1963 by Sir Ove Arup, 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, he having spent many hours working on every detail of the plans.
Its construction was unusual. The two halves were each built parallel to the river, then rotated through 90° to make the crossing. The meeting point of the two halves is marked by a simple bronze expansion joint using a linear gear bearing.
In 1965, the bridge was the winner of the Civic Trust Award.
In 1993, it won Certificate of Outstanding Performance (Mature Structures Category) of the Concrete Society.
A bust of Arup, cast in resin, was installed on the side of Dunelm House, the students' union building adjacent to the bridge, in September 2011. The sculpture is a copy of a 1987 bust by Diana Brandenburger, held by the National Portrait Gallery. It is a replacement for a previous copy of the same bust, in bronze, which was unveiled by Karin Perry, Arup's daughter, on 16 April 2003, the 108th anniversary of Arup's birth, but which was stolen from its plinth during the summer of 2006.
During a university RAG Week in the early 1960s students suspended a car beneath the bridge.
In February 1998, the Durham Students' Union president, Tom Joyce, fell through the bridge, but caught himself and was uninjured.
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Durham: Kingsgate Footbridge and a view of the Cathedral
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The steps at the end of Kingsgate Footbridge, Durham
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KINGSGATE BRIDGE - Durham - List Entry
- "Footbridge over river. 1963. Ove Arup and Partners (Ove Arup, engineer). Reinforced concrete; concrete made with white cement and Shap granite and surfaces grit blasted. Consists of two trough shaped …
Added by
Pat Thomson
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![](http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/47/33/4473386_f2ba1b42.jpg)
from Geograph (geograph)
Durham: Kingsgate Footbridge and a view of the Cathedral
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/00/47/1004750_5dd15064.jpg)
from Geograph (geograph)
The steps at the end of Kingsgate Footbridge, Durham
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/historic_england.png)
from https://historicengland.org.u…
KINGSGATE BRIDGE - Durham - List Entry
- "Footbridge over river. 1963. Ove Arup and Partners (Ove Arup, engineer). Reinforced concrete; concrete made with white cement and Shap granite and surfaces grit blasted. Consists of two trough shaped …
Added by
Pat Thomson