High Speed Architecture: HS2's Colne Valley Viaduct

Abstract

The 3.4 km Colne Valley Viaduct will be one of the longest viaducts in Europe and a landmark in Phase 1 of the UK's second high-speed railway line connecting London and Birmingham. Few infrastructure projects have been designed to meet such demanding technical, environmental and operational requirements. The challenge for the design team has been to balance prescribed client requirements with construction techniques, the aspirations of local communities and a unique landscape setting. Understanding the structural and technical principles of engineering for high speed has driven the aesthetics of the structure. The resulting design celebrates the architecture of engineering: the structural form is an expression of loads, speed, function and construction, resulting in a distinctive, coherent and elegant design. The design demonstrates the importance of an integrated multi-disciplinary design process for major infrastructure projects and the role of architects in successfully balancing value, function and aesthetics. ALIGN is a joint venture between: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and Volker Fitzpatrick. They are responsible for the design and construction of the C1 Section of HS2, including the Colne Valley Viaduct, the Chiltern Tunnels and five ventilation shafts. The design team, ALIGN D, comprises: Jacobs (Lead Consultant), Rendel (JV Partner), Grimshaw (Architects) and LDA Design (Landscape Architects).

Keywords:

• viaduct
• bridge
• HS2
• concrete structures
• noise barriers
• Colne Valley Viaduct
• high-speed railway

Acknowledgements

• Alan Price, Design Director, Jacobs/ALIGN

• Billy Ahluwalia, Senior Project Manager, ALIGN C1, HS2 Ltd

• Daniel Atelier, Project Director, ALIGN

• David Smith, Lead Discipline Engineer – Civil Structures, Bridges & Viaducts, HS2 Ltd

• Diane Metcalfe, Architecture Lead, Grimshaw/ALIGN

• Erwan Vicat, Bridge Design Lead, Rendel/ALIGN

• George Kapos, Package Manager, Rendel/ALIGN

• Kay Hughes, Design Director, HS2 Ltd

• Kevin Roberts, Head of Engineering & Environment, ALIGN C1, HS2 Ltd

• Martin Short, Lead Architect, HS2 Ltd

• Nigel Triner, Technical Director – Acoustics, Jacobs/ALIGN

• Rohan Perin, C1 Project Client Director, HS2 Ltd

• Simon Railton, Landscape Lead, LDA Design/ALIGN