COALBROOK @ THE GINGERBREAD CITY 2022

We are delighted to unveil imagery of Bakewell Bridge, our gingerbread creation that we designed in collaboration with Holloway Li for The Gingerbread City.

Organised by Museum of Architecture, The Gingerbread City is an annual exhibition that champions design ideas and invites architects and designers to put an exciting twist on the traditional gingerbread house.

Our design, Bakewell Bridge, is a footbridge connecting the north and south banks of the river. The bridge is inspired by our brand identity, as our name is derived from the town of Coalbrookdale, the site of the world’s first iron bridge. Holloway Li, designed our Clerkenwell showroom, The Market Building, and has now reimagined the Coalbrookdale bridge in Shropshire, through the medium of gingerbread, and also transported it to a London setting. The footbridge embraces the natural environment and is constructed from sustainable and locally-sourced materials.

Bakewell Bridge is located within the temperate climate zone of The Gingerbread City, just like the Coalbrookdale iron bridge in Shropshire. The bridge is surrounded by natural beauty, highlighting the importance of selecting materials that react positively to the natural setting, withstanding cool and wet weather often experienced in temperate climates. The impact of flooding has been considered in the design of the bridge and flood defences are in place on either side of the bridge to ensure safe evacuation from the north and south banks of the river. 

Bakewell Bridge is constructed from natural materials to honour the surrounding green landscape, which was inspired by the setting of the Coalbrookdale bridge in the Ironbridge  gorge, a UNESCO world heritage site. The primary structural material used for Bakewell Bridge is sustainably-sourced timber, harvested from FSC certified forests that are continuously replenished. Bakewell bridge also features recycled amber glass tiles, which form the decking bridge footpath. The recycled glass tiles are constructed from broken glassware, which would otherwise have been a waste material. These resemble the amber resin panels at our showroom, The Market Building in Clerkenwell.

The Gingerbread City runs from 3 December - 2nd January and tickets are available to purchase below. Here's just a few of the creations we loved...