The folding bridge is a unique structure in the London borough of Paddington. On Wednesdays and Fridays, it unfolds into a small and unusual footbridge.
Only one end of the 12-metre-long bridge is attached to the shore, while the other end simply rests on the opposite bank of the Grand Union Canal. Hydraulic cylinders are hidden in the vertical struts. When the bridge has to be folded to allow the boats to pass through the canal, the hydraulic cylinders are pressurised. The cylinder rods extend, folding the parapet links into an accordion. The total time for folding the bridge is about three minutes.
The creator of the bridge, Thomas Heatherwick, had planned to turn an ordinary, unremarkable object into something remarkable and spectacular.
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