Knight Architects success at IABSE Future of Design

Several members of the Knight Architects team attended the IABSE Future of Design London conference on 13 September, including Bridge Designers Anthea Schneider and Daniel Perez. This pair had spent the previous few weeks honing their submission for the Young Designers' Competition which called for a low maintenance 16m-long bridge solution across a canyon in a US National Park.

The team's winning entry was inspired by the bending moment diagrams of a simply supported beam, the construction constraints and the desire for a visually 'light' and modest design. The resulting self-anchored, integral under-spanned structure is made of weathering steel and sustainable materials that blend in with the character of the landscape, harmoniously bringing together structural and aesthetic considerations in an elegant, economical and structurally-efficient design aimed to enhance the user experience.

"We are absolutely proud, thankful and honoured to take home both the Judges' Prize and the Audience Favourite Award! The conference as a whole was filled with inspiring lectures, engaging workshops and the chance to meet new and interesting people, all of which provided a welcome opportunity to exchange impressions, talk about the future of design and connect. At the end of the day, bridges are designed to connect not only margins but people."

- Anthea Schneider & Daniel Perez, Knight Architects