Bridge Aesthetics Design guideline to improve the appearance of bridges in NSW Centre for Urban Design | February 2019 The curved bridge over the Woronora River with its pedestrian and bicycle foot bridge hung below the road deck and the remodelling of its foreshores, fits in with the river, topography and sandstone and bush landscape of Sutherland. With its ten spans, 30 metre high piers, and approaches cut into the opposing hillsides the bridge produces a sweeping, dramatic and elegant built form. Acknowledgments This document has been prepared by the TfNSW Centre for Urban Design with input from Bridge Section, Environmental Branch, and the Government Architects. The information in this document is current as at February 2019. All photographs are sourced from Transport for NSW unless otherwise indicated. Cover image: Yandhai Nepean Crossing. Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Purpose and structure of the guideline 6 1.2 Urban design policy 8 1.3 Aesthetics 8 1.4 Perception of bridges 13 1.5 Responsibility of the designers 15 Design approach .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 2.1 Design values 18 2.2 Project management and urban design methodology for bridges 24 The Whole ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 3.1 Context 30 3.2 Form 40 The parts .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 4.1 Superstructure 50 4.2 Substructure 56 4.3 The bridge curtilage 68 The details ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................75 5.1 Joints and connections 76 5.2 Bridge barriers 77 5.3 Safety screens 78 5.4 Protective fencing 82 5.5 Signage and advertising 83 5.6 Lighting fixtures 84 5.7 Drainage 86 5.8 Noise walls 87 Finishes ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................89 6.1 Colour 90 6.2 Concrete quality 92 6.3 Feature lighting 93 Particular Conditions ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................97 7.1 New bridges next to existing bridges 98 7.2 Modifications and additions to heritage bridges and bridges of cultural value 102 7.3 Pedestrian bridges 110 7.4 Railway bridges 118 7.5 Land-bridges 118 7.6 Art and bridges 119 Appendix ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 123 Appendix A: Global Perspective 124 Appendix B: Bridge Terminology 138 Appendix C: Pedestrian Bridge Design Standard For Built Up Areas 142 Appendix D: References and Further Readings 146 The triple bridge and boardwalks over the Brunswick River were designed in collaboration with the community. Boardwalks alongside the Brunswick River provide views of the river and good pedestrian connections under the highway. This is a good example of integrated engineering and urban design. 2 | Bridge Aesthetics This document addresses as objectively as possible Foreword the aesthetics of the whole bridge as well as the individual parts. It attempts to explain why a particular aesthetic consideration is important, for example spill Bridge Aesthetics was first published in 2004. It through abutments allow a more open structure in referenced a Department of Main Roads NSW document the landscape, simplicity is generally more important produced in the 1980s called ‘The Aesthetics of Bridges’ than complexity so that people can intuitively and but also had its origins as a guide for the Design and easily understand a bridge and see how it works, Construct bridge requirements for Karuah Bypass arches are generally considered beautiful but are also in 2002. strong almost permanent ways to hold up bridges. But Since then it has been updated and republished in 2012 most importantly this guideline advocates that good and now updated again to take account of completed engineering and good aesthetics are synonymous bridges, new guidance on land-bridges and a new and true good looks aren’t achieved by adding extra pedestrian bridge standard being employed across elements or features but rather by refinement. Antoine the state. de Saint Exupery summed it up well “It seems that perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to Over the years Bridge Aesthetics has had a major add, but when there is nothing more to remove.” impact on the quality of bridges in NSW. It has added a dimension of design quality – to the usual equation Being a part of the Beyond the Pavement Urban of cost, time and durability – on hundreds of projects Design Policy, Bridge Aesthetics goes further than completed over the last 15 years. the appearance of bridges and also touches on the contribution bridges can make to the pedestrian and Bridges need design quality as they are major visible cyclist experience, the space available for pedestrian artefacts in our cities and landscapes. That design activity, the view from the bridge and the use of quality can be expressed through innovative road undercroft bridge space. bridges spanning waterways and gorges, smaller yet equally iconic pedestrian and cyclist bridges, This document draws upon many years of experience in well-mannered suites of overbridges or creek bridges designing building and maintaining bridges and should on highways and motorways, subtle and sensitive new be used across all projects. bridges next to heritage structures, the regular bridges erected to ensure the safe pedestrian crossing of busy Director Centre for Urban Design roads or even just a well-designed balustrade. Director Bridges and Structures When bridges are designed well, responding to context and their role they add value to a neighbourhood, region or state and instil pride, stories and character in our communities. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an obvious example, but the Gladesville Bridge has a similar, if slightly less famous role; the Sea Cliff bridge has become a major feature of the Illawarra area; and the recently opened Yandhai Nepean Bridge in Penrith is already a well-loved addition to the city and river landscape. Foreward | 3 | 3 Bradfield Park, which forms part of the northern curtilage of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, used to be an area that was essentially dirt with poor drainage. This has been transformed with a lowered plaza area, landscaping and seating. 4 | Roads and Maritime Services 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose and structure of the guideline 1.2 Urban design policy 1.3 Aesthetics 1.4 Perception of bridges 1.5 Responsibility of the designers Introduction | 5 INTRODUCTION | 5 Introduction 1.1 Purpose and structure of The document is primarily intended to be applied to the guideline everyday practice – to the more common bridges which are an abundant and highly visible element of and across NSW roads. But it is also for the iconic landmark bridges which are inspirational. Indeed, bridges are usually “ Bridges are among the most ancient iconic because of the size of their spans, the terrain and honourable members of society they traverse, their role and cultural importance, their with a background rich in tradition and technology and the design response that the context evokes. A bridge can be considered to be iconic when its culture. For countless generations they design stands out as something unique and is seen to be have borne the burdens of the world a symbol of a community or place. and many of them have been great The aesthetics of pedestrian bridges is often given less works of art. As in most large families consideration than road bridges notwithstanding the there are numerous poor relatives. The community role they play, their visibility and the design modern bridge too often appears as possibilities they inherently have. These guidelines are a workman performing its task for a aimed at ensuring that the aesthetics of pedestrian bridges are taken just as seriously as road bridges. minimum wage, mechanically efficient but uneducated and ignorant of its own The general principles in this guideline are also applicable to railway bridges, which affect the ancestry. A worthy subject for serious appearance