Tintagel Castle: Bridge Design Competition

The international, two-stage design competition seeks an inspired and dedicated team, comprising both architectural and engineering expertise, for the circa £4m bridge project.

One of the most spectacular historic sites within English Heritage’s care and inextricably linked to the legend of King Arthur, Tintagel Castle in north Cornwall has been prized throughout history for its elemental beauty and spirit of place. The ruins of the 13th-century castle are an outstanding example of a man-made monument interacting with a natural feature – the narrow land-bridge, much eroded over the centuries, linking the headland (or Island) with the mainland.

The new footbridge will be 28 metres higher than the current crossing and 72 metres in span. It will open up exhilarating views of Tintagel, the surrounding coastline and Atlantic seascape as it traces the path, now lost through collapse and erosion, of the original land-link. It is expected to transform the visitor experience, improving both visitors’ understanding of the site and access.

English Heritage envisages an elegant, even structurally daring, concept which is beautiful in its own right and sensitively-balanced with the landscape and exceptional surroundings – Tintagel Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument lying within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The new bridge will not only transform physical access but also rationalise routes around the site. It will allow visitors to experience the historic approach and entrance to the castle’s inner bailey, and enable stories of the Dark-Age and medieval development of the site to be vividly brought to life.

One of English Heritage’s most popular sites, Tintagel Castle attracts circa 200,000 visitors a year, up to three thousand per day in the peak summer season. Nearly a third of current visitors come from overseas and Tintagel’s profile is growing both nationally and internationally.

To read the detailed brief and enter the competition, competitors will need to visit: https://competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk/tintagel

The competition is being run in accordance with European Union procurement guidelines under the Restricted Procedure. Multi-disciplinary teams with expertise in contemporary design and engineering are invited to enter providing they can satisfy the criteria in the Expression of Interest document available through the competition website. No design is sought at the first stage of the competition.