The design of a new 40-metre pedestrian and cycle bridge built across Kensington Pond to provide an impressive entrance to the Centennial Parklands in Sydney celebrates the native ‘bara’ or long finned eel in both form and materiality.

Designed by Sydney-based architectural practice Sam Crawford Architects, the Bara Bridge was built to replace an inaccessible pedestrian bridge, which was removed for the construction of the Light Rail. According to the architects, the new bridge “generates a critical, accessible, southern pedestrian and cycle gateway to the Centennial Parklands and reinforces the Parklands masterplan – linking the light rail users and Kensington residents to the broader pond’s pedestrian/cycle network”.

The design of the bridge is informed by the shape, movement and colour of the long finned eels as well as their migratory patterns, which hold deep significance for the local Dharawal Country people in culture and lore since ancient times. The eels, which are found in the Parklands’ ponds and waterways, journey to the warm waters of the Pacific to reproduce, with their hatchlings returning to the very same ponds a year later.

“The dynamic expression of the bridge aims to draw attention to this incredible and ancient migration, celebrating the bara and its importance in Aboriginal culture,” the studio explained.

The bridge curves outwards towards the centre to provide a viewing platform for pedestrians. The movement and shimmery appearance of the eels are captured in the curved design of the bridge and the anodised aluminium balusters, which shimmer in the sunlight, with the gold and silver colours selected for camouflage and movement.

The bridge is supported by just three piles to minimise the impact on the pond’s ecosystem, with a 4-prong cruciform steel structure on each pile providing lateral and longitudinal stability. The bridge deck is made from durable, lightweight and non-slip fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) while the superstructure is built from steel. All the materials are completely recyclable.

The entire structure was assembled off-site in a workshop in western Sydney, disassembled, and then put together onsite, minimising waste while ensuring accuracy.

The Bara Bridge was shortlisted for the 2022 AIA NSW Award for Small Project Architecture.

Photographer: Brett Boardman