Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp draws on industrial heritage of Harbour Bridge
Photos shared exclusively with Dezeen showcase the serpentine Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp, designed by local firms Aspect Studios and Collins and Turner to reference the industrial palette of Sydney's Harbour Bridge.
The elevated cycle ramp, which opened earlier this year, creates a continuous step-free link across Sydney Harbour, making it more accessible for cyclists.
Cyclists were previously required to dismount and walk up 55 steps to access the bridge, but the 170-metre-long cycle ramp now allows them to easily cycle up onto it.
According to the design team, the fluid form of the ramp was informed by aircraft wing design. Its lightweight steel structure allows it to span longer distances with less material, creating a slender, serpentine ramp.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp is supported by eight oval-shaped precast concrete columns, which were positioned to avoid disruption to key pedestrian routes.
A central beam winds through the structure, the width of which varies in response to curves, spans, and nearby features such as the neighbouring station entrance. A series of ribs below the ramp provides extra strength to the deck.
Aspect Studios and Collins and Turner worked with engineering and industrial design by Eckersley O'Callaghan and heritage architecture and interpretation by Design 5 Architects on the design.
"The design is grounded in Country, integrating contemporary infrastructure with the bridge's heritage and the cultural layers of Milsons Point to make cycling across the harbour an inclusive, everyday experience," Aspect Studios global design director Sacha Coles said.
"The cycleway is a distinct new addition, yet clearly identifies with the iconic 1932 bridge, in the refinement and elegance of its form and structure and materials," Collins and Turner director Huw Turner added.
"It uses a carefully considered combination of form, detailing, materials and craft to create a light, sculptural steel structure, designed to meet complex technical demands while respecting the bridge's heritage and setting," he continued.
The finishing details of the structure intentionally reference the cultural and industrial heritage of the adjacent Sydney Harbour Bridge.
A durable, mica-rich paint finish adds protection to the steel structure and was also chosen to match the neighbouring bridge.
The columns of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp feature textured detailing that not only presents a visual identity but also discourages graffiti and flyposting. A subtle pigment was added to the concrete to mimic the weathered surface of the western bridge wall.
A continuous bronze balustrade that wraps around the cycleway was finished with a naturally aged look, which also pays homage to the bronze detailing of Sydney Opera House.
Although the ramp was developed using advanced digital modelling and structural analysis, the balustrade itself is crafted from sand-cast bronze, a process used for thousands of years, bringing together contemporary engineering and ancient craft.
New footpaths, pedestrian crossings and a paved plaza with seating, water and bike-repair facilities were also introduced to complement the cycling infrastructure and create a new civic space for the wider community.
The ramp features a motif of two eels migrating between saltwater and freshwater that was created using 133,000 hand-laid granite cobblestones, including stone sourced from the original quarry used for the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Designed by artists Jason Wing and Maddison Gibbs, the public artwork was embedded within the full length of the ramp, to signify Sydney Harbour Bridge as a cultural conjunction point.
The design was selected following an international design competition held in 2021.
A series of high-profile public development projects have recently been completed along Sydney Harbour, including the new Sydney Fish Market designed by 3XN, and the Barangaroo South masterplan designed by RSHP, which transforms an abandoned container port into a commercial and residential district.
The photography is by Brett Boardman. Main image is by Ruth Gold.
Project credits:
Main contractor: Arenco
First Nations consultation: Yerrabingin
Engineering (Construction): Stantec
Engineering (Design Development): Aurecon
Lighting: Electrolight and Lucian Light
Active transport: JMT consulting
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