Renfrew Bridge shortlisted for AJ Awards 2026

Scotland’s first opening road bridge across the River Clyde has been shortlisted for the AJ Architecture Awards, in the Infrastructure and Transport category.

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Led and funded by Renfrewshire Council and designed by Kettle Collective, the 184-metre cable-stayed bridge was completed in May 2025, creating a new cross-river connection between Renfrew and Yoker. The bridge accommodates vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, while opening to maintain navigation along the River Clyde.

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The architectural concept draws on the River Clyde’s shipbuilding heritage. A twin-leaf cable-stayed opening bridge was selected to meet the operational requirements of river navigation and airport safeguarding, while its rotating vertical masts reinterpret the movement of the historic dockside cranes that once defined the waterfront.

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Designed as both infrastructure and landmark, the bridge combines transport infrastructure with public realm, landscape and active travel routes. It reconnects communities, supports regeneration and creates a distinctive civic identity rooted in the area’s industrial heritage, while maintaining navigation for commercial and leisure vessels.

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Since opening, the bridge has become an integral part of everyday movement across the Clyde. After 66 weeks of operation, more than five million crossings had been recorded, including approximately 200,000 active travel journeys. More than 900 vessel movements had also passed through the opening bridge, demonstrating its ability to support river navigation without disruption.

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AJ Architecture Awards 2026, recognises outstanding built projects across the UK. The winners of the AJ Architecture Awards 2026 will be announced on 26 November 2026 at Royal Lancaster London.