New Wear Footbridge

Knight Architects has been appointed to lead the detailed architectural design of the new £31m pedestrian and cycle crossing, connecting both sides of the River Wear at Riverside Sunderland – a sustainable new urban quarter.

The design team is focused on encouraging maximum active mobility in and around the city’s riverside setting by carefully considering the user experience of the bridge in its surroundings. Priorities include inclusive and accessible design; integration with new areas of public realm either side of the River Wear; and a design which compliments the historic surroundings of the adjacent Wearmouth and Monkwearmouth bridges.

The new structure will be a central part of Sunderland’s revitalised Riverside Park and will provide Riverside Sunderland with key connectivity between new neighbourhoods and the civic centre, as well as access to the biodiverse green and blue spaces of the riverside.

The crossing will establish a vital link between Keel Square and the Stadium of Light, on the axis of the Keel Line public artwork, and will support the Sunderland Smart City Vision. The design will explore cutting-edge technology and creative lighting to create engaging interactive experiences for those who cross the bridge and 'really bring to life the city’s digital ambitions’.