The son of French engineer, Kingdom's first notable achievement was the part he played with his father in planning the Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping, completed in 1843.

Isambard was born in Portsmouth, educated at Hove, near Brighton and studied for two years at the Collège Henri Quatre, Paris, after which, in 1823, he rejoined his father in England. After his work on the Thames Tunnel, Isambard planned the Clifton Suspension Bridge, over the River Avon, which was completed posthumously in 1864 using chains from his own Hungerford Suspension Bridge.

With John Scott Russell, he was responsible for the design of the Great Britain, the first steamship ever to cross the Atlantic. Prior to that, in 1838, he designed the Great Western, which remained the largest vessel in existence until 1899. He was also responsible for the redesign and construction of many of Britain's major docks including Bristol, Monkwearmouth, Cardiff and Milford Haven.

The work for which he is probably best remembered is his construction of a network of tunnels, bridges and viaducts for the Great Western Railway. In March 1833, he was appointed their chief engineer and his work began with the line that linked London to Bristol. Impressive achievements during its construction included the viaducts at Hanwell and Chippenham, the Maidenhead Bridge, the Box Tunnel and the Bristol Temple Meads Station. Brunel is noted for introducing the broad gauge in place of the standard gauge on this line. While working on the line from Swindon to Gloucester and South Wales he devised the combination of tubular, suspension and truss bridge to cross the Wye at Chepstow. This design was further improved in his famous bridge over the Tamar at Saltash near Plymouth. In 1859, shortly after the bridge's completion, Isambard died.