Aerial view of a railway construction site with tracks, construction equipment, and workers, surrounded by greenery and open fields, architecture by MOXON Architects.

Lower Thorpe Viaduct

South Northamptonshire, England

2017 — ongoing

Client: HS2 Ltd

Infrastructure · Road & Rail

Lower Thorpe Viaduct in South Northamptonshire has been developed in accordance with the HS2 Design Vision. The simple appearance of the Viaduct in relation to the preservation of the local environment has been carefully considered, in particular with respect to minimising visibility of the structure from the wider surroundings and maintaining a low profile relative to the adjacent landform.

Aerial view of a high-speed train crossing a bridge over a lush, green landscape. The scene features trees, small ponds, and shadows cast by the setting or rising sun, with vibrant foliage lining the track.

‘The strategic design approach applied to these double composite structures has been a game-changer in how we’re building these viaducts. The double composite solution can be applied to multiple structures in different locations, and we have five across EKFB’s 50-mile route that are all well into construction’

Janice McKenna, Technical Director - EKFB

Aerial view of a highway under construction through green fields and hills, with construction equipment and workers, architecture by MOXON Architects.

Piers are widely spaced to allow the landform to continue beneath the structure and the abutments are recessed into the approach earthworks. This minimalist approach privileges landform over structure. At the detail level additional texture is incorporated into the design of the piers and parapets. The fine scale relief applied to the structure in these locations importantly addresses views near to and obliquely along the structure from Banbury Lane.