The 1.2 -billion -pound project, which was strongly criticized by environmentalists, has two portal buildings at both ends of the new street tunnel as well as with a cycle and a pedestrian bridge south of the tunnel.
These portals and the bridge were designed by Riba Stirling Prize Practice DRMM and design the first project in practice in the infrastructure sector.
The twin-bore tunnel of 1.4 km of road connects South London with the flood pool circuit in Silvertown after the existing Airat-Line cable road route the route of the existing Emirates cable car. The aim is to reduce the overload of the Blackwall tunnel of the Victorian period and to improve the reliability and resilience of the further road network.
The Blackwall tunnel closes more than 700 times a year, which has been lost for London (TFL) transport for “large climbing backs, poor air quality and millions of hours that have been lost by drivers who are trapped in traffic jams.
The project was granted in 2017 using the DCO procedure (planning order representation).
DRMM designed the threshold value portal building and campaigned for the quality and identity of the human level in the area of the human level. It has used two contrasting aesthetics to reflect different uses: the Northern Silvertown portal in Newham acts as the main services and work area for the tunnel operators and the southern portal in Greenwich as a secondary backup system.
Source: Anna Shpuntova
Newham (north) portal to the Silvertown input
Both portal constructions have minimized the need for foundations, whereby the infrastructure of the tunnel is used to deliver support and reduce additional carbon, and at the same time contain green roofs that are planted with species that are contained in the wider landscape.
The five-story Silvertown portal has a conical shape on a green-landscape brick tube above the tunnel entrance. Dressed in light copper, the building blames the fans to create work areas at the upper level. A neighboring building houses tunnel maintenance and company equipment.
At the southern end, the four -story portal in Greenwich has a wavy shape and doubles as a limit, which removes the need for the fence. Administrative offices and plant rooms are taken into account in this building and has chain connection effect masonry with double bullnosis bricks in a Flemish binding.
Staffordshire Blue Brick was used in all portal buildings.
Source: John Zammit/Riverlinx
Greenwich portal
The new Boord Street Bridge made of yellow -painted steel in the south of the Greenwich portal was designed in collaboration with Arup and ready -made offsite. It combines its steel structure with an open network so that users are both visible and visible.
The tunnel is completed 13 years after the idea has been proposed for the first time and follows a series of controversy.
DRMM, which landed the design job in 2020, is part of the Riverlinx consortium of the Spanish Bauriesenferrovien -subsidiary Cintra, BAM PPP PGGM, Macquarie Capital and SK E&C. In November 2019, the consortium received the construction contract of Transport for London (TFL) after a legal dispute initially postponed the contract.
The loss of contract provider Silver Thames Connect (STC) had submitted a claim to Part 7 to the technology and construction court after Riverlinx was appointed for the contract in May. The procurement of part 7 led to an automatic legal suspension of the right of the accused to award a contract.
Source: Alex de Rijke
Boord Street Footbridge
In the same year, the Stop Silvertown Tunnel Coalition, which spoke out to the tunnel for environmental reasons, also threatened the mayor's office in order to advance the project.
Drmm was then accused of hypocrisy to 'take on'controversial environmental tunnel“In view of the fact that the practice helped to explain the co-represented of architects who have announced a climate and biodiversity emergency.
In September 2020, two MPs called for a review of the project due to the finances of the TFL. In a joint letter from the then MP for West Ham Lyn Brown and Greenwich and Woolwich, Matthew Pennycock, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, asked to rethink the project and to re -evaluate its environmental impact and economic advantages. Both MPs argued that the system contradicted the green transport plan of capital and that the “financial risks” associated with its construction should also be taken into account.
In 2021, a group of 52 academics and activists, including high-ranking transport planners and climate experts, Khan and then the transport secretary Grant Shapps, asked to stop working on the Silvertown tunnel and re-evaluate the environmental impact of the program.
According to TFL, the connection will increase the hourly number of buses that can cross the river in the region to rise from six to 21, which means new “frequent, accessible and sustainable public transport options”, combine the municipalities with jobs, houses and free time.
The organization says that the buses can be “all zero emissions on the exhaust pipe” and can be used free of charge for the first year. There will also be an “innovative cycle shuttle service”.
Khan said: “The original plans for the Silvertown tunnel were developed by the previous mayor of London [Boris Johnson] 2012.
“We have made a number of significant improvements to make the system more environmentally friendly and support a package of measures to support Londoners, residents and companies. This ensures that there are discounts and concessions and reserve a lane for double-decker buses, a free innovative bicycle shuttle service and free bus trips for pedestrians that encourage more people to switch to switching to switching.
Source: Luca Marino/TFL
Silvertown tunnel entrance
The architect's point of view
We have developed the Silvertown portal buildings as biacons for their districts and brave working rooms that are proud of the people who control daily tunnels. This was our first experience with the design of the infrastructure sector, and the complexity of the location meant to create buildings that would be strongly in a changing context.
Overall, we tried to create portal buildings that have human, confident and their own indelible brand for the master plan. It was great to see that they were brought to life, and everyone became part of the built area Silvertown and North Greenwich.
Saskia lingerie, director, drmm
View of the customer
I am incredibly satisfied with the design and creativity that has entered these buildings. The ability to be innovative and cross borders was really remarkable. The final design is the highlight of the committed effort of our teams, which shows commitment and cooperation to bring this vision to life, and I could not be proud of what we have achieved together as an integrated team.
Borja Trashorras, project director, Riverlinx CJV
Project data
Location Newham, London
Gross floor surface Greenwich Portal: 1,160 m²; Silvertown portal: 1,130 m²
Start on site Spring 2021
completion Spring 2025
customer RIVERLINX CJV (Joint Venture between Ferrovial Bau, Bam and SK Ecoplant)
architect Drmm
Delivery architect Design unit
Main contractor Rividlinx
Structural engineer Built
Deputy consultant Built
Landscape designer Built
Security advisor Atkins
Acoustic consultant Atkins, Arup
Ecological consultant Built
Lighting designer Atkins, Arup