Hinxton, South Cambridgeshire
WGC Pedestrian Bridges
Wellcome’s ambition for the Wellcome Genome Campus is to create an expanded science community, providing opportunity to live, work, learn and play in the most exceptional, stimulating and sustainable environment.
Following early-stage work from Buro Happold, Evolve was appointed by Winvic to develop further, rationalise and obtain technical approval for the design of two wide bridges that span across the A1301. The bridges, and their access ramp and staircase structures, are intended to be highly functional but also striking sculptural features. They will integrate with the serpentine walls, elevating and expressing the outward face of the Campus in contemporary forms, but still echoing and respecting the rural setting and heritage of the locality. They will signal and celebrate the presence of a world-renowned and important destination, give priority to safe pedestrian and cycle movement, and embrace the existing landscape and provide a playful and sensory experience. They will lead into two new gateway buildings/spaces, shared arrival points, from where the community can easily access facilities and amenities or start a journey through the extended Campus.
Client: The Wellcome Trust
Location: Hinxton
Sector: Transport
Architect: Wilkinson Eyre
Structural Engineers: Evolve
MEP Engineer: SWP
Image Credit: Wilkinson Eyre
Challenge
Designing the pedestrian bridge presented a unique set of challenges, balancing technical constraints with the architectural ambition of Wilkinson Eyre’s sculpted design. The overpass spans a busy A road, with access provided by a long, curved ramp on one side and direct entry on the other, reflecting the natural change in ground levels. From a structural perspective, a key challenge was integrating rational and buildable techniques without compromising the elegance of the form. This rationalisation required early and detailed coordination with both steel fabricators and the contractor’s operational team, ensuring that the erection sequence was carefully considered and embedded in the design from the outset. Particular care was also required in positioning supports within a densely wooded area, where the aim was to create a tree-top walk experience while minimising impact on the surrounding environment. Below ground, the design was further constrained by extensive existing utilities and the need to protect sensitive tree root zones, requiring careful coordination of foundations and services.
Solution
The challenges were addressed through a very high level of coordination, both in technical detailing and in the integration of requirements from multiple disciplines. As is often the case with bridge structures, the design team sought to celebrate the exposed structure rather than conceal it with cladding, which demanded precision in both engineering and fabrication. A key innovation was the incorporation of glulam into the cross beams, developed as steel–timber composite flitch beams. Beyond achieving the required strength and aesthetic warmth of timber, these beams were designed from the outset with durability and maintenance in mind: the timber elements can be replaced in the future through simple traffic management and temporary restrictions on pedestrian access, avoiding the need for propping from the highway below.
To manage the complexity of the form, we collaborated extensively in a shared 3D environment, using parametric modelling to integrate the geometry into Revit via bespoke Rhino workflows and Grasshopper scripts. Complex joints and sculpted geometries were explicitly modelled and tested through detailed FEA analysis, ensuring their structural performance while supporting the architectural vision. This close collaboration between digital design, analysis, and fabrication processes enabled us to deliver a bridge solution that was both technically rigorous and faithful to the project’s original ambitions.
