arcvs proposes a bridge housing hotel and office spaces floating over the danube in serbia

arcvs’ proposal for an office and hotel building and adjacent pedestrian bridge in novi sad, serbia won first place in the competition for its architectural and urban solution. their multifunctional bridge over the danube river takes from historical references such as ponte vecchio, rialto bridge and the jishou art museum in china and their central, longitudinal axis. however, the project is inherently influenced by the petrovaradin fortress and the mighty waters underneath.

the site’s industrial port aesthetic and the landscapes of the danube’s shores crowned with the fortress inform the bridge’s design. the designers pushed the bridge’s main axis downstream 30m to change the viewer’s perspective towards the river.

the building’s western shadow reaches the edges of the murky danube waters. the concept’s name ‘elbow shadow’ is based on two old traditions typical in the vojvodina region: the elbow house is the traditional symbol of wealth in vojvodina, which refers to a house on the corner of two streets with two gates; on the other hand the elbow references the cubit, an ancient unit of length based on the size of the forearm. the phrase was in use during the austro-hungarian rule and the last to disappear was ‘builder’s cubit’ – the elbow confluence on the opposite end of the dtd hydro system is located some 180km downstream.

the bridge’s design allocates a modest area of the 4000m2 for the office while the hotel remains on land. the bridge also features pedestrian and cyclist roads that span 200m in length and 6m wide. the project merges the commercial and infrastructural programs into a single structure with the underlined exclusivity provided for the extra 50% usable area, turning the space into 6000m2.

the steel lattice’s main span is 80m and its height of 10m enables for another level with 2500m2 and a total width of 12m. the flexibility of the steel lattice is improved further with the use of pre-fab partitions and façade panels. clearance height for the waterway determined the overall height of the bridge at 8m from the shores of the canal which are raised to the levels required for the flood defense.

spiral ramps on both sides were the only way to reach the height of the bridge in a way that was comfortable for both pedestrians and cyclists. the ramp spirals pass through climatized halls: a multipurpose area on one side, and a fitness space on the other side. the total  length of the 200m structure becomes a shopping street overlooking the danube waterway for miles downstream. this privilege is enjoyed also on the upper level 5m above in both program options of the office or hotel.

infrastructural routes of telecommunications, gas, water, heating water and sewage, together with people passing through the construction frames and bridge the waters of the canal. both vertical and horizontal segments expose that movement that is felt in the cozy atmosphere of café and reception. the spaces boast extensive views of the surrounding landscapes while providing ample space for the endless activities hosted inside.

floor plan – ground level

floor plans – level 1 and level 2

elevation and section

project info:

name: multifunctional bridge in novi sad

location: novi sad, serbia

area: 6.000 m²

type: competition

place: 1nd prize

design: studio arcvs

team members: branislav redžić, dragan ivanović, zoran milovanović, dušan milošev, milica tasić, nevenka redžić

structural design: sreto kuzmanović

consultant: vanja vukadinović đurić

photography: mlađen jovanović, igor srdić