TALENTED students have been building bridges with the construction industry, cementing their reputations for design.
Students from Barbara Priestman Academy designed and created four paintings of bridges, which have been displayed around the perimeter fence of a construction site in Pallion.
All 120 pupils at the school came up with their own bridge ideas which they transformed into what the New Wear Crossing might look like.
Drawings were digitally captured on tablets, before being brought to life on huge boards for the community to enjoy.
Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction joined forces to form FVB Joint Venture to build the bridge on behalf of Sunderland City Council and the students are hoping for more work in the future.
Barbara Priestman Academy art teacher Dave Fudge said: “Our students came up with some great designs and they are fast building a reputation for saying yes and delivering projects on time and to a high quality.
“It has been invaluable experience to see the project through from start to finish and they were so thrilled to contribute to something that is part of the city’s history.
“Projects like this put what they learn in the classroom in a real-world context. It also sows a seed of an idea that our students can go and do something with their lives thereby boosting their wellbeing.”
Connor Lockhart, 19, of Grindon, said: “Bridges are great because they help to connect people. It’s been a great project to work on.”
And Eve Leadbitter, 17, of Ryhope, said: “I have always had a fascination with mythical creatures so when I was asked to design a bridge I went for something unique by adding a dragon design.”
Deputy leader of Sunderland City Council Harry Trueman said: “The pupils have done a tremendous job in creating their own imaginative bridge designs, which the people of Sunderland will be able to admire. It’s wonderful to see young people enthused and involved in the city’s new bridge because this is going to be part of their future. Maybe it will inspire some to follow careers in construction, design and engineering.”
FVB’s community engagement manager Brigid McGuigan said the paintings would take pride of place around the site.
She said: “The pupils have done a great job in creating bridges of different styles and themes, with an abundance of colour. Seeing their enthusiasm on site was wonderful too. They are a credit to their school.”
The New Wear Crossing will span the River Wear between Wessington Way in Castletown and European Way in Pallion. It is the first bridge to be built over the Wear in Sunderland for more than 40 years and is part of the wider strategic transport plan to link the Port of Sunderland and city centre with the A19.
The bridge centrepiece will be a striking 105m A-framed pylon that will be twice as high as Nelson’s Column.