Pitlochry Dam - Pedestrian Bridge

Pitlochry Power Station and Dam is prominently located beside the town of Pitlochry, and the original design incorporated a pedestrian route over the dam, albeit via a series of staircases, that allows the public to cross the Tummel River. This route is a very popular walk for residents and visitors alike. The dam is also the flagship of the SSE owned and operated hydroelectric dams and the structure attracts approximately 350,000 visitors each year.

The popular route however clashed with operational work areas and as such a Health and Safety risk was identified. We were asked to find an alternative solution that would allow pedestrians to continue to cross the dam while allowing regular maintenance to progress without risk to the public.

Our solution was a high level bridge that connected the walkway on the dam to cross the service yard, the fish ladder and rejoin the path on the south side of the Tummel River. Using a simple solution of slender circular columns built off the existing concrete walls that form the power station and the fish ladder, we created an aerial walkway that gives people a birds eye view of the dam and the fish ladder.