SPF:architects' wonder bridge in california echoes a lizard's tail

wonder bridge by sPf:architects rises in lost hills, california

Spanning the Paso Robles Highway at the eastern edge of Lost Hills in California, the Wonder Bridge emerges as a sinuous pedestrian structure signed by US practice SPF:architects. The project, completed this year, connects the Lost Hills park to the North with a preschool and College Prep Academy to the South. Bisected by a busy highway with only one controlled intersection, the hamlet of Lost Hills was, prior to construction of the Wonder Bridge, essentially cleaved in half. Transited by large trucks, the highway presented a significant barrier to pedestrians looking to cross safely. In light of this, the architects introduce their design at a location directly adjacent to the Park.

all images © Mike Kelley

spiral green shape evoking a lizard’s tail and swirling water

From the beginning, it was important that the Wonder Bridge by SPF:architects (see more here) not only connect the northern and southern halves of Lost Hills, but as a significant piece of infrastructure on the otherwise flat landscape, also stand as a gateway to the census-designed area. Shape-wise, the architecture is inspired by the curl of a lizard’s tail and the flow of swirling water. The resulting spiral green shape offers a gentle transition and ease of ADA access from grade level to the required 20 feet above the roadway.

Wonder Bridge by SPF:architects

The Wonder Bridge span itself is a very typical 176-foot-cast-in-place concrete structure slightly modified to accept the bright green railing/fence armature that transforms from a code-required railing at the base of the bridge to a curved arched geometry; culminating in a heart shape at the center of the structure symbolizing community and its benefactor.

culminating in a heart shape at the center