Forth Road Bridge Canopy

The Forth Estuary Traffic Authority in Scotland now removed this toll structure for the existing bridge on the Firth of Forth. Essentially, the canopy acted as a traffic sign, housing electronic toll equipment and provides shelter and new safety mechanisms to protect the toll staff. Neil Gillespie, design director at Reiach and Hall, treated the commission as both a logistical challenge and a sculptural project. The form of the toll canopy, an asymmetrical monopitch block, tries to capture a sense of motion and was developed in response to the experience of using the bridge. From the south the canopy cants to one side as a nod to the bridge. If you are travelling towards Edinburgh, the structure forms a wedge rising up towards the capital city. The skin is lightweight; a metal mesh is exposed on the sides and underside of the canopy with a polycarbonate roof cover. The perforated skin reduces wind loads and allows for glimpses of the structure through the cladding.