August 4, 1999. Copyright, 1999, Graphic News. All rights reserved

MILLENNIUM BRIDGE WILL BE BLADE OF LIGHT
By Margot Nesdale

LONDON, August 4, Graphic News: ELEGANT and slender, it will glide across LondonŐs catwalk with the sleekness of a supermodel.
When the sculptured Millennium Bridge takes centre stage on the River Thames, it will be the first new landmark to grace the murky channel for 136 years.
Not only will it be the first dedicated pedestrian bridge in the city but the first new crossing since the iconic Tower Bridge opened in 1894.
Billed as the first state-of-the-art suspension bridge in the capital, the Ł15.9 million designer crossing is due to open in April 2000.
The bridge will link the City of London at St PaulŐs Cathedral on the north bank of the Thames with the new Tate Gallery of Modern Art and ShakespeareŐs Globe Theatre at Bankside in Southwark.
The silver steel and aluminium structure was designed by a unique collaboration involving the internationally acclaimed architects Foster and Partners, distinguished British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro and talented young engineer Chris Wise, of Ove Arup & Partners.
The team has gone out of its way to make the design minimalist and unobtrusive, so as not to detract from the panoramic views of the city that the bridge will offer, including the majestic St PaulŐs.
ŇIt is a very elegant and minimal ribbon stretched between the two banks of the riverÓ said project architect Catherine Ramsden, of Foster and Partners. 
The 320m-long (350  yds), 4m-wide (13 ft) crossing is six times shallower than conventional suspension bridges and will sit just 9.5m (31 ft) above the Thames.
Flexing its muscles with 360 tonnes (397 tons) of steel and 3,400m (3,720 yds) of cabling, the slimline bridge will have enough standing room for 5,000 people or the seating capacity of 20 tube trains.
It is designed to enhance pedestrian comfort, with outward-curving handrails which create a microclimate by deflecting wind overhead and reducing wind speed through the walkway.
The aluminium deck has a ridged, serrated surface to the topside which is designed to make it non-slip.
Pedestrians will have the illusion of standing inside an elipse, with higher than normal handrails which are difficult to climb and purport to make the bridge suicide-proof.
By night the bridge will be discreetly lit to resemble a thin blade stretching across the river.
Straddling the Thames at two of the capitalŐs most significant public areas, the bridge will improve accessibility for residents, business workers and tourists and help alleviate traffic congestion in the area.
A large number of ships navigate the river at the bridge site and the two piers have been designed to withstand a head-on collision which has a force equivalent to around 26,000 people pushing at once.
/ENDS

Sources:  Erica Bolton & Jane Quinn Ltd, Foster and Partners, www.arup.com