{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox bridge | bridge_name = Kingsgate Bridge | image = 300px | image_size = | alt = | caption = Kingsgate bridge in front of Dunelm House | official_name = | coordinates = {{coord|54.7731|-1.5726|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline}} | os_grid_reference = NZ275421 | carries = Pedestrians | crosses = River Wear | locale = Co. Durham | owner = Durham County Council | maint = | heritage = Grade I listed | id = | architect = Ove Arup | designer = Ove Arup | engineering = Ove Arup & Partners | design = | material = Reinforced concrete | length = | width = | height = | mainspan = {{cvt|106.7|m}} | spans = | pierswater = | load = | clearance = | below = | life = | builder = | fabricator = | begin = | complete = 1963 | cost = | open = | inaugurated = | preceded = Elvet Bridge | followed = Prebends Bridge | references = | extra = }} '''Kingsgate Bridge''' is a reinforced concrete construction footbridge across the River Wear, in Durham, England. It is a Grade I listed building.<ref name="IoE">{{NHLE |num=1119766 |access-date=30 June 2006}}</ref> It was personally designed in 1963 by Ove Arup,<ref name="IoE"/> the last structure he ever designed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/nov/12/concrete-jungle-the-brutalist-buildings-of-northern-england-in-pictures|title = Concrete jungle: The brutalist buildings of northern England – in pictures|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 12 November 2020|last1 = Steele|first1 = Matthew}}</ref> Kingsgate Bridge connects Bow Lane on the peninsula in the centre of Durham to Dunelm House on New Elvet, which building Arup's studio also contributed, and opened in 1966. Kingsgate Bridge is thought to have been one of Arup's favourite designs of all: he had spent many hours working on every detail of the plans.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Arup |url=http://www.arup.com/newsitem.cfm?pageid=810 |title=Plaque Commemorates Birth Place of Sir Ove Arup - Engineer and Philosopher |date=15 June 2000 |archive-date=2004-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040422222828/http://www.arup.com/newsitem.cfm?pageid=810}}</ref>
Its construction was unusual; the two halves were each built parallel to the river, then rotated through 90° to make the crossing.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Rennsion | first1=Robert William | last2=Barbey | first2=M.F. | title=Civil engineering heritage | publisher=Thomas Telford | year=1996 | isbn=978-0-7277-2518-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bv2BrOMo8cIC}}</ref> The meeting point of the two halves is marked by a simple bronze expansion joint using a linear gear bearing.<ref name=Arup2010>{{cite web |title=Kingsgate bridge |url=http://arup.com/Projects/Kingsgate_footbridge.aspx |publisher=Arup|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521040404/http://arup.com/Projects/Kingsgate_footbridge.aspx|archive-date=2010-05-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Durham Bridges: 1. Kingsgate Bridge |url=http://happypontist.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/durham-bridges-1-kingsgate-bridge.html |date=28 November 2013 |website=The Happy Pontist }}</ref>
In 1965, the bridge was the winner of the Civic Trust Award.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sir Ove Arup and Durham |url=http://www.durhamcity.org/bulletin49/arup.html |publisher=www.durhamcity.org |access-date=23 February 2013 |archive-date=13 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613091246/https://durhamcity.org/bulletin49/arup.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1993, it won the Certificate of Outstanding Performance (Mature Structures Category) of the Concrete Society.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kingsgate Bridge: Work Suspended |url=http://www.durham21.co.uk/2005/10/kingsgate-bridge-work-suspended/ |publisher=www.durham21.co.uk| access-date=23 February 2013}}</ref>
A bust of Arup, cast in resin, was installed on the side of Dunelm House, the students' union building adjacent to the bridge, in September 2011. The sculpture is a copy of a 1987 bust by Diana Brandenburger, held by the National Portrait Gallery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dur.ac.uk/news/allnews/?itemno=12860 |title=World-renowned engineer Sir Ove Arup honoured with unveiling of new bust |date=28 September 2011 |publisher=Durham University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822220611/https://www.dur.ac.uk/news/allnews/?itemno=12860 |archive-date=2014-08-22}}</ref><ref>[http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?linkID=mp07793&rNo=0&role=art NPG 5968; Sir Ove Arup]</ref> It is a replacement for a previous copy of the same bust, in bronze, which was unveiled by Karin Perry, Arup's daughter, on 16 April 2003, the 108th anniversary of Arup's birth, but which was stolen from its plinth during the summer of 2006.<ref>[http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk//display.var.1004780.0.statue_thieves_arup_to_no_good.php Statue thieves Arup to no good] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927002807/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk//display.var.1004780.0.statue_thieves_arup_to_no_good.php |date=27 September 2007 }}, The Northern Echo, 6 November 2006</ref>
In 2005, the bridge was adopted as a footpath by Durham County Council, making them responsible for its maintenance, although Durham University remain the owners.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/latest-news/2023/12/kingsgate-bridge/|title= Sixty years of Kingsgate Bridge|website=Durham University|date=19 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.palatinate.org.uk/students-launch-grit-kingsgate-bridge-campaign/|title=Students launch ‘Grit Kingsgate Bridge’ campaign|date=6 December 2024|author1= William Milne |author2= Elliot Burrin|work=Palatinate}}</ref>
During a university rag week in the late 1960s students suspended a car beneath the bridge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://compsoc.dur.ac.uk/~djw/stuff/kingsgate.jpg |title=Image of car suspended beneath the bridge |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604213744/http://compsoc.dur.ac.uk/~djw/stuff/kingsgate.jpg |archive-date=2011-06-04}}</ref>
== Gallery == {{Gallery | title = Kingsgate Bridge | align = center | footer = | style = | state = | height = | width = | captionstyle = | File: Kingsgate_Bridge_-_view_of_deck_from_W.jpg | alt1= | Kingsgate Bridge view from deck | File: Dunelm-view.jpg | alt2= | Kingsgate Bridge seen from Durham Students' Union, the Cathedral above | File: | alt3= | Write a caption here | File: | alt4= | Write a caption here | File: | alt5= | Write a caption here }}
== See also ==
* List of Brutalist structures
== References == {{Commons category|Kingsgate Bridge}} {{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}
{{River item box |River = River Wear |upstream = Elvet Bridge |downstream = Prebends Bridge |type = bridge |thisis = |upsub = |downsub = |location = }}
Category:Bridges across the River Wear Category:Bridges in County Durham Category:Bridges completed in 1966 Category:Ove Arup buildings and structures Category:Grade I listed bridges in England Durham, Kingsgate Category:Buildings and structures in Durham, England Category:Pedestrian bridges in England Category:Recipients of Civic Trust Awards Category:1966 establishments in England Category:Buildings and structures of Durham University Category:Brutalist architecture in North East England