Timber Gantries

The proposed gantry design is inspired by grass leaves and how they transition from the vertical stem to the horizontal leaf. A fluid, clean and visually harmonious proposal that borrows natural and robust principles that have evolved over millennia. The gantries are designed as an extension of the native grasses found all along Britain’s motorways.

Designed with natural and renewable materials all sourced within the U.K. All components use single-axis curves with the skin working on a hyperbolic basis. Maintenance access is provided down the centre of the timber truss. The panellised skin can easily be retrofitted to existing gantry structures. The design is a modular system prefabricated in factory conditions and quickly assembled on-site.

One of the three Commended schemes identified by the Jury Panel for our strong thematic ideas and challenge to the project brief. The Judges considered the submission to be the best of those which proposed extensive use of timber componentry. 

Currently, the safety and technical standards that provide guidance for motorway furniture do not include timber structures. With the success of our timber designs, we hope to begin the conversation with National Highways which can lead to a more sustainable and carbon-positive future for our motorways.

The competition is part of National Highways good design initiative, which sets out 10 principles for good road design including that they should:

• fit into context: good road design demonstrates sensitivity to the landscape, heritage and local community

• be understandable: good road design focuses on the essentials and eliminates unnecessary and confusing clutter

• be environmentally sustainable: multi-functional, resilient and sustainable, good roads achieve net environmental gain.

It has been funded by National Highways’ designated fund, innovation and modernisation theme.