Millennium Bridge, Dublin 1

Located just upstream from the Ha’penny Bridge, the crossing links Lower Ormond Quay with Wellington Quay and helps relieve pedestrian congestion in the Temple Bar area. The commission followed an international design competition that attracted 157 entries. The resulting bridge was conceived as a simple, lightweight and transparent addition to a prominent urban setting.

The structure is based on an asymmetrical parabolic arch formed from solid steel rods that curve gently in plan and section from each bank. This efficient structural arrangement allows the bridge to use very slender members, creating a sense of lightness that is echoed in the balustrades, deck and abutment railings. The slotted aluminium deck is supported by secondary ribs that continue upward to form the balustrade supports.

The bridge’s curved concrete abutments are clad in stone and shaped to act as spread waters, helping the river flow smoothly around them at all tide levels. This combination of hydraulic performance, structural clarity and urban restraint gives the bridge a contemporary civic presence while allowing it to sit comfortably among Dublin’s historic Liffey crossings.