Robust, repeatable and refined - the HS2 overbridge design standard
HS2 Overbridges
2017 — ongoing
‘HS2’s Common Design Elements show how clarity, restraint and rigour can transform necessity into enduring design’
These elements, including parapets, piers and noise‑mitigating edge conditions, are designed to be durable, low‑maintenance concrete structures shaped by HS2’s design policy and refined in collaboration with local planning authorities. Their purpose is to ensure that every visible structural component—whether experienced in isolation or as part of a linear sequence—shares a coherent, understated architectural language while responding appropriately to local context.
The CDE design process is governed by Schedule 17 of the HS2 Act, which secures design quality through local authority engagement without duplicating controls already embedded in the enabling legislation. This ensures that overbridges meet safety, environmental, and visual requirements while maintaining predictable project delivery.
Across multiple sites, Moxon Architects have extended this design philosophy through work on short‑span viaducts and overbridges within the EKFB delivery area - structures that balance engineering efficiency with a quietly disciplined architectural expression.
Our family of bridge typologies relies on a shared kit of parts: carefully proportioned parapets, slender piers and minimised visual clutter to create bridges that feel crafted but not iconic, fitting effortlessly into rural corridors and sensitive landscapes.
The CDE philosophy is reinforced through the Schedule 17 approvals process, where overbridge submissions - such as those for the A421 London Road Overbridge or the Perry Hill and Nash Lee structures - demonstrate how HS2 design constraints, environmental commitments and community feedback shape the final built form.
These submissions outline detailed design rationale, mitigation principles and construction methodologies, ensuring every overbridge performs robustly while contributing to a unified visual identity along the route.
