June 15 2005

A young London-based practice Hakes Associates has won the competition to design a bridge across the cemetery at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. Julian Hake’s bridge may combat fears that have been expressed by Liverpool’s public art community that little quality public realm work would be commissioned and completed before Liverpool European City of Culture 2008. “Certainly nothing that will remain,” said one. Although the Liverpool chapter and diocese still has to raise £1.1million to fund the bridge, Hakes said: “The bridge will only take 6 months to construct. We are confident it will be done in time.” The bridge will have a 75m span and carry pedestrians across a cemetery to the cathedral’s north porch. Its light-weight design is based on a schematic of a dove’s flight pattern and marks a deliberate contrast to the massive stone bulk of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s huge building. The brief also required a light touch on the ground as the site is full of historic graves. Hakes Associates have recently completed a design for the Mobius Bridge in Bristol, two 300m pedestrian and cycle bridges along the Charles River, Boston USA and two 500m long highway bridges in Al Khiran, Kuwait.

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