Ballingdon Bridge, Ballingdon, Suffolk
When viewed from the Boathouse Hotel and the Freeman's Water Meadows, the new Ballingdon Bridge across the River Stour has a crisp contour and creates an elegant symmetrical reflection in the river, its feet appearing to lightly touch the surface of the water. To help the general air of lightness, the balustrade - cast stainless steel with horizontal stainless steel rod infill and oak handrail - is visually open so that views of the landscape through the bridge are as uninterrupted as possible, while still providing a good safety barrier to vehicles. Furthermore, enlarged walkways create a generous provision for pedestrians to enjoy the views of the river and meadows.
The first stage in the creation of the structure was a competition organised by the Royal Institute British Architects to allow the people of Sudbury and various influential groups associated with the town to be involved in choosing the design of a new bridge. The winning design was that from Brookes Stacey Randall (architects) and Ove Arup (civil engineers).