Image via YouTube
London's Paddington area has a new drawbridge that only looks like an enormous metal folding fan.
To allow boats to wade past on Fridays, Knight Architects and structural engineers AKT II created a stunning bridge that when lifted turns into something you wouldn't expect, like an infrastructure Transformer.
Here is a look at the bridge via KA Bridges' YouTube page:
Those curious can take a peek and walk across the expanse, which helps travelers cross a 20-meter width of water in Paddington's Grand Union Canal.
Dezeen Magazine's Anna Winston (h/t This is Colossal) spoke with architect Bartlomiej Halaczek who expounded on the creation process of which we have to say was rather successful: "The focus, both of the clients as well as the designers, was to design a beautiful and memorable structure that is modest in its appearance most of the time, but when raised, it generates the 'wow' moment."
Thousands of miles away, we can't help but exclaim at the beauty amid simplicity, so we can only imagine what visitors think of the bridge that reportedly offers LED lighting for gorgeous nighttime strolls.
Halaczek continues that the team needed a moving structure that came at a cheaper cost than typical designs. To that end, a statement claims, "Shaped counterweights assist the hydraulic mechanism and reduce the energy required to move the structure."
The area is hardly deprived of interesting bridges, because the report reminds Thomas Heatherwick's Rolling Bridge is nearby. Those unfamiliar with the expanse can enjoy the curling below:
These are hardly your average footbridges, offering a truly memorable experience to those lucky enough to see them in action.
While they do the job of offering a dry path, they accomplish far more by invigorating the area with marvelous mechanical beauty.
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