The Rolling Bridge, Automated pedestrian bridge in Paddington Basin, England
The Rolling Bridge is a footbridge in Paddington Basin in the City of Westminster, England. The construction consists of eight triangular steel sections connected by hydraulic cylinders that extend across a small canal inlet.
Thomas Heatherwick designed this construction for the Grand Union Canal development project and completed the installation in 2004. The concept was developed to create a movable connection across the waterway without obstructing boat traffic.
The name of this structure comes directly from its rolling motion, in which the straight construction curls into a compact form. Walkers often gather along the canal edge to watch the mechanical demonstration and photograph the curled state.
The bridge performs its curling movement on certain days at set times when visitors gather by the canal. During heavy rain or technical issues, the demonstration may be canceled, so it helps to check timing in advance.
When the hydraulics activate, the entire bridge curls into an octagonal shape and lifts clear of the water. This transformation takes only a few minutes and allows boats to pass through the inlet.
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