Thomas Heatherwick’s Glass Bridge

Thomas Heatherwick’s Glass Bridge, due to be installed next year in London’s Paddington Basin redevelopment, has won the inaugural £15 000 Bombay Sapphire Prize for Glass Design. The deck of the 7m-span, illuminated bridge contains pieces of water-cut glass, set on edge and laminated together to form the arch. Tom Dixon, one of the judges, says, ‘This is simply an outstanding example of design innovation. It’s rare in public art for something as daring as this to be commissioned.’ The work, along with art and design category winners Chiho Hitomi and Tord Boontje and the rest of the shortlist, is on view at The Vinopolis Gallery, London, SE1 until 5 January 2003.