Neptune’s Way: Bridge linking Broomielaw and Tradeston
In 2003, Glasgow City Council approved Richard Rogers Partnership (RRP) as the preferred architects for the proposed Broomielaw-Tradeston bridge. RRP’s past projects include the Millennium Dome and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Aimed to spark regeneration as part of Scottish Enterprise’s International Financial Services District project, the £40M bridge will be completed in 2007. However, some have raised doubts as to the purpose of the project:
Penny Lewis, of Scotland’s architectural magazine Prospect, said Broomielaw was an odd choice for the bridge.
“Most of these iconic, cultural pedestrian bridges lead somewhere”, she said.
“One in London leads to the Tate and St Paul’s, one in Newcastle leads to the Baltic, but this doesn’t lead anywhere in particular except to Broomielaw which is not the most inviting place.”
However Tom McCartney, who was involved in the successful Gateshead Millennium Bridge project, said it had helped spark regeneration in the city.
“In Gateshead, the bridge was the start of regeneration, it was a symbol of renewal in the north east. This project could do the same in Glasgow.”
Useful links
- Discussion of the new bridge on Hidden Glasgow
- Glasgow Bridge on RRP website
- BBC News article announcing the planning decision
- Glasgow Bridge website from Glasgow City Council (resizes browser window)
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Image courtesy of Glasgow City Council
