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Equally, none of the 2000+ individually fabricated pieces made up of outwardly sloping straight and kinked uprights were the same size or shape. Belying the bridge’s playful simplicity, is its complex design and construction with the serpentine shape having no straight portions. It needed to provide a high value user experience, whilst reflecting its primary purpose, a path for children receiving care at the Perth Children’s Hospital. The bridge aesthetics were a key aspect of the design.
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The in-ground lighting off the bridge in Kings Park utilises amber coloured fauna friendly lighting which are designed to limit impact on native flora and fauna. In response to this, AECOM worked closely with BGPA, testing numerous bridge alignments, and pier and abutment locations to minimise removal and impact on high value trees and undergrowth. Kings Park is managed by Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) who are extremely sensitive to any disturbance to the Kings Park bushland. The bridge lands in the Kings Park bushland which is an A Class Reserve. The bridge also provides a wider benefit to all QEII Campus staff and patrons through increased access to existing cycling paths and pedestrian travel to work and the increased ability to use the park for fitness, lifestyle and work break activities. This vibrant-coloured footbridge eliminates the need to traverse up to four lanes of traffic on Winthrop Avenue and provides easy access to Kings Park whilst also providing a high value aesthetic experience. The design services also included high quality 3D visualisations, fly throughs and animations. As the Principal Designer, AECOM undertook architectural, bridge, footpath, electrical and lighting, geotechnical and drainage design services. The bridge was first suggested more than 10 years ago during early planning for PCH by the Foundation and coincidentally by a group of children on an advisory committee who said that a bridge crossing to Kings Park would provide much needed respite and a distraction from their treatment.ĪECOM was engaged by Main Roads WA to undertake the detailed design of the bridge using the previous concept design as a guide, whilst addressing stakeholder’s safety and cost concerns of the original design. The bridge now offers safe and direct access to the Kings Park bushland from the grassed area immediately north of the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH), in the QEIIMC hospital precinct. August 2021 saw the official opening of the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Kids’ (Koolangka) bridge.