Brisbane's new ‘global drawcard'
The brand new Kurilpa Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, is expected to become a ‘global drawcard' on its completion, attracting visitors from all over the world with its striking, totally unique design featuring tall masts and wires...
The two sides of the £32 million Kurilpa Bridge were joined at the start of this month and the bridge will be open for pedestrians and cyclists to use in September.
Brisbane is one of today's fastest growing urban centres in Australia and the bridge is part of the City Centre Master Plan 2006, which anticipated an increasing demand for pedestrian areas.
Member for South Brisbane, Premier Anna Bligh said that the bridge will allow cyclists and pedestrians to travel from Brisbane city to the Queensland Cultural Centre.
"The Kurilpa Bridge will link the Millennium Arts Precinct with the Brisbane Legal Precinct and will complete a pedestrian and cycle loop between the city and South Bank via the Goodwill Bridge," she said.
"The bridge will offer expansive views of the river, Southbank and the CBD and includes viewing platforms and a covered canopy.
"This second pedestrian bridge across the Brisbane River is another example of world-class, progressive architecture delivered by the Queensland construction industry," added Ms Bligh.
The bridge's unusual design, which was the brainchild of Cox Rayner Architects, has been touted as a future engineering landmark and a structure that will draw ‘bridge-lovers' from all over the globe.
It is the first in the world to be built using a method that combines tension and compressed steel, making it the first large scale tensegrity bridge.
Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten said, "It is a drawcard to people from all over the world who want to have a look at bridges.
"It's very Queensland as far as I'm concerned, if you look at it you can see fishing trawlers," he added.
The bridge, which was started in October 2007, will be completed on time and on budget and will form a major part of Queensland's 150th Anniversary celebrations.