Sackler Crossing
John Pawson
16 May 2006
This was always an extraordinary
commission. First, of course, there was the pleasure of working in one
of England’s most beautiful manmade landscapes and the privilege of
joining the daunting roll call of architects and designers associated
with Kew. There was also the personal challenge of being asked to design a new
building type. As an architect you may already have worked out how your
ideas translate into a house or even a monastery, but a bridge…? You
have to go right back to the essence of the work.
The success of the project is, as always, a reflection of the quality of the teamwork. My first thanks are to the people at Kew who decided they wanted a walkway across the lake and made it a reality, in particular the director, Sir Peter Crane, the Head of Foundation, Lucy Blythe, Tom Bailey and Tony Kirkham. While everyone in my own office has been involved in some capacity or other, I should like to give special thanks to Ben Collins and Alison Morris, who have worked closely on the project since the very beginning.
The success of the project is, as always, a reflection of the quality of the teamwork. My first thanks are to the people at Kew who decided they wanted a walkway across the lake and made it a reality, in particular the director, Sir Peter Crane, the Head of Foundation, Lucy Blythe, Tom Bailey and Tony Kirkham. While everyone in my own office has been involved in some capacity or other, I should like to give special thanks to Ben Collins and Alison Morris, who have worked closely on the project since the very beginning.
We have been fortunate in being able to call on the diverse talents of
a whole range of consultants, suppliers, fabricators and the people who
have been working on site since January. It isn’t possible to mention
everyone here by name, but I should like to take the opportunity to
thank Simon Fryer at Buro Happold.
Most importantly, without the generous support of Dr Mortimer Sackler and his family, there would be no bridge here today.
Frank Lloyd Wright famously observed that while a physician can bury his mistakes, an architect can only advise his client to plant vines. It has always been a great comfort to me that, if the worst had happened with this project, my client is a world authority on vines. My aim has been something which looked as though it has always been here. Of this time and Kew’s many visitors will be the judges.
Most importantly, without the generous support of Dr Mortimer Sackler and his family, there would be no bridge here today.
Frank Lloyd Wright famously observed that while a physician can bury his mistakes, an architect can only advise his client to plant vines. It has always been a great comfort to me that, if the worst had happened with this project, my client is a world authority on vines. My aim has been something which looked as though it has always been here. Of this time and Kew’s many visitors will be the judges.