The design by Ney & Partners and William Matthews Associates was chosen in 2016 through a design competition launched by client English Heritage.
The 67m-long footbridge connects a medieval fortification located on the peninsula of Tintagel Island with the village of Tintagel in north Cornwall, around 80km west of Exeter, England.
The design sees two cantilevers reach out and meet, not quite touching, with a 40mm gap in the middle representing the transition from the mainland to the island, or present to past.
The team’s inspiration for the cantilevered solution came from their study of Celtic history and the original drawbridge arrangement of Tintagel Castle. The proposal outlined using local slate for the bridge’s decking and contrasting weathered and non-weathered steel to create finishes which allow sunlight to play on the structure but also give it an ephemeral quality, allowing the bridge to harmonise with the coastal landscape.
In October 2018 a cable crane was installed to enable the contractors to begin work on the foundations without the need of scaffolding.
Pre-fabricated steel sections for the cantilever sections are currently being transported to the site for installation. The bridge will be paved with Cornish Delabore slate, with stainless steel balustrades.
The bridge is due to be completed in summer 2019.
