Rolling Bridge

This ingenious little pedestrian bridge was designed by Heatherwick Studio to span an inlet of the Grand Union Canal at Paddington Basin in London. The Rolling Bridge provides an access route for workers and residents, yet needed to be able to open for the boat that is moored in the inlet. Instead of using the typical approach of a rigid element that simply lifts and lowers, Heatherwick wanted the bridge’s movement to be extraordinary. Rolling Bridge, then, is formed by eight segments which slowly uncurl to span the inlet, and then slowly curl up to form a circular sculpture while the boat passes through.