Beyond the Bridge has been chosen as the winner for the Falcon Bridge design competition organised by Wandsworth Council and London Festival of Architecture.
A few days in advance, Clapham Junction might have received its Christmas present. The winner of the Falcon Road rail bridge design competition organised by the London Festival of Architecture and Wandsworth Council was announced, which moves the project one step further for the transformation of the Falcon Road Bridge underpass.
Earlier during summer, architects, designers and artists were invited to submit concepts for permanent improvements to create a more vibrant and welcoming space beneath the railway bridge, with particular focus on enhancing the public realm, improving wayfinding and reflecting the area’s distinct character.
- Read our previous article: Design competition launched to transform Falcon Bridge underpass in Clapham Junction
Seven shortlisted concepts had been selected for the final stage of the competition and the local community and residents were asked to give feedback. However, the final selection was made by a panel of expert at the competition event. They chose “Beyond the Bridge”, a project presented by a collaborative design team of GPAD (an award winning architecture & interior design practice based in Hackney, London), POoR Collective, MRG Studio, Sutton Vane Associates, Cundall, and MDA Consulting.
At their victory announcement, according to Wandsworth press release, GPAD and POoR Collective said:
“We are delighted to be selected to design the Transformation of Falcon Road Bridge. We know the area very well as the team have worked with local schools and have co-designed installations nearby. We are super excited to co-design another project in Wandsworth and include local young people, residents, and community groups throughout the process. This project gives opportunity for meaningful community engagement that will help shape the design to enrich the local environment for residents and visitors alike.”
The design team, with some of their member having strong local ties to Wandsworth (Shawn Adams, Community Engagement Lead for POoR Collective went to school in the Borough), engaged extensively with residents, students and community groups through walking tours, workshops and a Community Design Review Panel to develop a locally meaningful design vision.
Therefore, that’s not a surprise that “Beyond the Bridge” was the proposal emphasising the most their community involvement in transforming Falcon Road Bridge into a cultural landmark, as this was the main characteristic of their project.
Rosa Rogina, Director of London Festival of Architecture, said:
“Beyond the Bridge beautifully embodies the spirit of transformation and inclusivity that is at the heart of the London Festival of Architecture. By weaving the voices and stories of Wandsworth’s communities into the design, this project celebrates local identity in a deeply meaningful way. We are thrilled to see such a visionary and community-focused proposal come to life, redefining Falcon Road Bridge as a landmark of connection, creativity, and pride for all who pass through it.”
The design addresses key community concerns through several features:
- A ‘Memories of Wandsworth’ wayfinding wall showcasing local stories and artwork
- Thoughtfully placed seating areas surrounded by pollinator-friendly plants
- Smart lighting that adapts for different occasions and celebrations
- Sound-absorbing panels to reduce noise from trains and traffic
The lighting scheme combines practical safety features with artistic elements, including dynamic lighting that can change for cultural celebrations like Diwali and St. Patrick’s Day. Natural elements feature prominently, with plantings chosen to improve air quality and support local biodiversity whilst reflecting Wandsworth’s natural character.
According to the architect’s team, the overall aim is to create a welcoming, accessible space that truly belongs to the local community and celebrates Wandsworth’s diverse identity.
The competition is similar to the one that was organised 6 years ago (also in partnership between Wandsworth Council and the London Festival of Architecture) for the Thessaly Road Railway Bridge in Battersea, near New Covent Garden Market. You can notice some similarities with the two designs.
However, the chosen design has received quite a lot of criticisms on the Internet. On Instagram, alivia29 said:
“Great they chose the most boring one! I remember when the vote opened lots of people commenting for Tales of Our Tracks and River of Words. Would be interesting to know who actually went onto the council website to vote? It was a bit hard to find when I tried – but I did vote!“
charlotte.a.martin said:
“Can’t believe that was the winner. There were so many better designs.”
xxstevieceexx said:
“Dreadful decision the only one I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about being chosen because it was so bad, clearly just went for the cheapest overall. I’d actually prefer they leave it the way it is than this, looks like a 70’s colour scheme like The Arndale Centre had for years.”
In total there has been more than 30 comments on the Instagram post and most of them objecting on the decision.
The NLA, which organised the London Festival of Architecture explained:
Since 2017, the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) has delivered over 60 fair, transparent, and inclusive design competitions. For this project, proposals were evaluated on five criteria: overall design, costs and feasibility, safety and wellbeing, sustainability and longevity, and contextual design and public engagement. Public input was integral to this process, with feedback and voting results clearly outlined as being used to inform—but not determine—the panel’s final decision. Public feedback was carefully considered and shared with the judging panel, informing their decision-making alongside detailed assessments of deliverability, longevity, and compatibility with the operational needs of Network Rail infrastructure.
The judging panel, made up of six independent jurors and two representatives from Wandsworth Council, ultimately selected the design that best balanced all criteria and aligned with the project’s goals. They also acknowledged concerns raised during the process and are confident the winning team will address these through further design development and community engagement.
- See the other selected designs in our article: Falcon Bridge: Design Shortlist Revealed – Now It’s Time to Vote!
Now the second phase of the project starts. The winning team will be awarded a design fee to consult on and develop a fully costed, feasible design. The project budget is estimated at £2,000,000 + VAT (although Battersea MP, Marsha de Cordova, claims that it will be £4.5m). The design team will receive 12.5% of the money.
In comparison, the total budget for the Thessaly Road Bridge transformation was £200,000, and Yinka Ilori’s team (the winner of the competition then) received £20,000 to develop their design before the refurbishing happened.
According to the Council, the winning design will be developed further through continued engagement with the Wandsworth community. The competition guidelines insisted that “designs must be practical and feasible within budget constraints, capable of withstanding all weather conditions, and serve the community well into the future.” Therefore, it is expected that a specific attention will be given to the maintenance and necessary repairs during the lifetime of the design.
In a meeting of the Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee, last November, Wandsworth’s Director of Environment and Community Services confirmed that “Network Rail were not currently allocating funding to support the scheme, although they were supportive of the Council’s proposals“.
Last year, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, chose Wandsworth to become London Borough of Culture 2025. The final design should be installed in Autumn 2025 and should be a major element of the cultural offerings and art celebrations planned for this year.
Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council said:
“I’m delighted to welcome the winning bridge design team to Wandsworth to help us make a real difference to the Clapham Junction area and involve local people in the project. As part of our Decade of Renewal, the makeover to Falcon Road Bridge will be paid for by property developers. This new bridge design will provide a better and brighter route and create a new landmark for the borough during our year as London Borough of Culture 2025.”
A masterplan to improved the connection surrounded Clapham Junction station
It should not be the only project for Clapham Junction to improves accessibility and connectivity.
Wandsworth Council launched a Clapham Junction Masterplan project in March 2024, focusing on station interchange improvements and surrounding development over 18 months. The project includes plans to enhance the Falcon Road underpass. Principal Planner Adam Hutching explained that the Council acted quickly to align with Network Rail’s proposed station improvements.
Weston Williamson and Partners were appointed to develop solutions connecting the station’s northern side (Grant Road/Winstanley Estate) with the southern area (Lavender Hill/Northcote Road). The project involves collaboration with Network Rail, the GLA, TfL, ShopStop mall and local stakeholders.
- Read our article: Clapham Junction Masterplan: initial presentation focusing on vague options for overpass bridges
While an initial consultation was held at Battersea Library, local residents expressed disappointment with the limited information provided and called for more meaningful community engagement, rather than simply presenting pre-developed options.
Wandsworth council, but also every part of the winning team (GPAD, POoR Collective, MRG Studio, Sutton Vane Associates, Cundall, and MDA Consulting) were contacted for comment but after waiting for more than a week, we have not received any response from any of them.
