marte marte architekten curve and twist schanerloch bridge

marte marte architekten curve and twist schanerloch bridge
image © marc lins
all images courtesy of marte marte architekten

austrian architecture firm marte marte architekten designs 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. the volume itself is static, but the design evokes ideas of motion within its subtle confines. when seen from the driver’s point of view, the dramatic form is hardly noticeable, but from the vantage point of the river, it stands out against the organic silhouette of the scenic gorge.

the stone arch blends into the naturally rocky landscape
image © marc lins

image © marc lins

image © marc lins

the subtle twist in the structure suggests movement
image © marc lins

schanerloch bridge twists dramatically
image © marc lins

from below the curve protrudes dramatically from the rock
image © marc lins

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project info:

client: city of dornbirn
location: ebniter strasse, 6850 dornbirn
architect: marte marte architekten ZT GmbH, weiler: arch. DI bernhard marte & arch. DI stefan marte
overall length: approx. 23m
overall width: 5,50m – 6,50m
driving clearance width: minimum 4,75m
reinforced concrete arch: minimum thickness 35cm
concrete volume: approx 180 m3
footing: directly inthe the adjacent rock wall
costs: approx. 220.000€