TOP 10 bridges of 2013

TOP 10 bridges of 2013

throughout history, bridges have been seen as monumental accomplishments of human triumph, physically linking previously independent areas, conquering nature and providing new means of access. the 20th century saw a vast quantity of large spanning bridges established, while today smaller scale projects can be equally important in connecting communities, cities and their occupants. the past twelve months has seen a diverse variety of projects both proposed and completed around the world, with our 10 most popular projects incorporating a wide range of materials and taking various forms.

curve and twist schanerloch bridge by marte marte architekten

photo © marc lins
image courtesy of marte marte architekten

austrian architecture firm marte marte architekten designed the schanerloch bridge after the common form of the stone arch, minimizing it to a tangential curve with a twist that connects the radiused roads on either side of the river dorbirner ache. the reinforced concrete structure spans the gorge for which it is named, creating the pass between the city of dornbirner and the hamlet of ebnit.

pont jean-jacques bosc by OMA

image courtesy of OMA

once constructed, OMA’s bordeaux bridge will be the sixth to be built across the river garonne, and will stand as a connection between the city’s neighbouring municipalities of bèlges and floriac. the generous 44m x 545m expanse will provide ample public space — the structure’s largest allowance is devoted to foot traffic — while also accommodating cars, public transport and bicycles.

garden bridge by thomas heatherwick

image courtesy of heatherwick studio and ARUP

earlier this year, transport for london (TfL) called for proposals aimed at improving pedestrian links across the river thames. in response, thomas heatherwick, together with actor and green activist joanna lumley have conceived what they call the ‘garden bridge’; a scheme that sees a lush green space connecting north and south london.

meadows salford bridge by penda

image courtesy of alex daxböck and chris precht of penda

changing its appearance depending on the angle of approach, this proposal for the meadows salford bridge competition by designers alex daxböck and chris precht of penda features a strong elliptical shape. the project offers a dominant visual landmark that when viewed from its side looks like a regular suspended bridge, but as one gets closer the structure opens up to a rounded volume, engulfing pedestrians as they cross over to the meadows.

tbilisi bridge by aMDL

image © gia chkhatarashvili

milan-based practice aMDL have recently completed the ‘tbilisi bridge’ in georgia, connecting avlabari and rike over the kura river, embodying the idea of peace as it connects two opposing areas with their own unique cultures. the bridge us designed as a sinuously elegant canopy of concentric steel rings connected by lateral members.

fictional bridges on euro banknotes by robin stam

photo by klaas boonstra

dutch designer robin stam has taken the structures found on european bank notes and made them a reality, building them as part of a housing project in spijkenisse in south holland. ‘the bridges of europe‘ have each been constructed exactly as seen on the paper money, according to color and scale.

circular hovenring cyclist bridge by ipv delft

image courtesy of ipv delft

like a flying saucer, the steel bridge by dutch ipv delft hovers above the heerbaan/meerenakkerweg intersection, marking the entrance point to the cities of eindhoven and veldhoven. the structure is comprised of a 70-meter high pylon attached by 24 steel cables and a round bridge deck made from steel. working alongside the challenge of appropriately integrating a proper spatial configuration, the existing infrastructure and buildings serve as the boundaries for the grades of the slopes leading up to the roundabout.

meixi lake bridge by NEXT architects

image © NEXT architects

the dragon king harbor river development is a large-scale masterplan aimed at reactivating a new lake district on changsha’s meixi lake. a key component to this project is the winning proposal for a pedestrian bridge designed by beijing and amsterdam-based studio NEXT architects. the 150-meter bridge stands 24 meters tall, with a unique form that resembles a moebius ring or a chinese knot originating from ancient folk art – an architecturally new identity for the developing area.

fishhook of pohe bridge by knight architects

image courtesy of knight architects

representing prosperity and safe journey over water, the curved ‘J’ shape of the lower hatea crossing in whangarei, new zealand, is an interpretation of a fish hook – a widely used motif in local maori culture. the bridge, designed by UK firm knight architects, has been given the official name, ‘te matau a pohe’, which translates to ‘the fishhook of pohe’.

sölvesborg bridge lighting installation by ljusarkitektur

photo by olof thiel
image courtesy of ljusarkitektur

brightly illuminating the ‘sölvesborg bridge’, swedish design firm ljusarkitektur has developed a unique lighting scheme to enhance its landmark status. the use of color changing LED fixtures from lumenpulse graze the suspension cables of what is considered europe’s longest bicycle and pedestrian viaduct. highlighting the distinctive arches, the pieces were mounted on the outside of the 756 meter long structure.