Who designed the bridge - and does it really matter?

This week saw the start of building of the North Shore footbridge in Co Durham for Stockton Borough Council. But the battle over who 'designed' it is still not at an end, and both architect and engineer have embarked on a war of words over who should receive the credit for the finished design.

Whilst architect Stephen Spence has claimed credit for the 'bulk of the presentation that won the competition', Chris Wise at Expedition Engineering has been quoted as saying that the design which Spence's eponymous firm came up with 'would not stand up on planet earth'. (Wise also worked as engineer for the Millenium Bridge, which was initially closed to the public because it had the disconcerting habit of swaying and oscillating when people walked on it). Both have said that a working relationship between the two companies is now at an end.

As a multidiscplinary practice, Gelder and Kitchen has less risk of such a situation occurring, as we incorporate both architects and engineers within the one partnership! Nevertheless, in a creative industry such as ours it is always important to recognise that any construction project is, by its very nature, a team effort. No single department in Gelder and Kitchen could satisfy the needs of our clients - architects needs engineers as much as engineers need architects, let alone quantity surveyors, project managers, etc.

Wise/Spence's bridge design will open at the end of 2008, linking Teesdale with Tees Valley Regeneration's north shore development. Sadly, whilst the bridge itself will serve as a reminder of our ability as architects and engineers to physically link people, the project itself may be remembered as much for the divisions it caused.