Year 4 investigate Tower Bridge

Posted: 6th December 2018

All our Design and Technology projects start with a thorough investigation of products and materials. The investigation marks the beginning of a complex thought process and great design thinking. It is a very important stage, one that defines the boys’ final outcomes. This term, Year 4 began their research with a range of design challenges followed by an ‘investigation’ of Tower Bridge.

Helped by Sophie and David, they discovered the story behind the famous bascule bridge. It is now a cultural landmark and a symbol for the nation. The bridge changed the life of many Londoners back in 1894 when it was first built. These days, it continues to do the job it was designed to do but dressed in a different colour scheme. Many of the boys in Year 4 would tell you that the original brown colour was replaced by red, white and blue back in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. The bridge is also famously known for its ‘royal salute’.

There are plenty of interesting facts to share but one that has stayed with us is the story behind its original design. Over fifty designs were submitted to be considered after 1876. However, it wasn’t until 1884 that Horace Jones offered the winning design for Tower Bridge. It turns out he was the City Architect and a member of the ‘Special Bridge or Subway Committee’ – an organisation in charge of choosing the winning idea. Can you guess whose design Horace Jones voted for and if it won?

Inspired by this story, Miss Raduca has launched a bridge design competition right here at Buckingham Prep School. All ideas have been sketched in Tinkercad, an online tool for creating digital designs. We will share the winners on social media in January. Good luck to all involved!

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