Tower Bridge

A carefully planned glass walkway

Introduction

London's iconic Tower Bridge is the creation of architect Sir Horace Jones and civil engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry, built between 1886 and 1894. To mark its 120th birthday, the City of London Corporation commissioned a new glass floor for its two high-level public walkways to provide a unique view of the bridge lift and enhance the visitor experience.

As one of London’s most best loved landmarks, a high level of sensitivity was required in the design approach and consultation. Planning permission and Listed Building Consent had to be obtained from two London boroughs, Tower Hamlets and Southwark, as the bridge straddles the two borough boundaries.

42m

height of the walkways above the Thames

530kg

weight of each glass panel

1000kg

weight of the carbon steel framework to support the panels

In-depth understanding to overcome challenges

Our in-depth understanding of the bridge’s significance was underpinned by our detailed Conservation Management Plan and site survey. This informed the design and subsequent planning applications to create the glazed walkways and identify opportunities for future developments.

The walkways are situated 42m above the Thames and various stages of work required road and river closures. One of the most challenging aspects of the project was creating spaces for the glass panels to sit within the existing listed fabric.

The original steel lattice structure of the bridge has been conserved under glass panels weighing 530kg each. The floor panels were carefully inserted into the existing structure in the centre of each walkway, giving visitors the opportunity to view the bridge and the lifting process from a brand new perspective.

Specifically, there are two glass floors comprising six panels, 11.5m long and 1.8m wide, supported by a 1000kg carbon steel framework. This design has created a light-filled space with information on the bridge for visitors to enjoy, providing an exciting addition to the Grade I-listed structure.