... is a new bridge for the city of Bordeaux. This stripped-down design aims to rethink the civic function and symbolism of a 21st century bridge. It is a platform stretched beyond the water on both sides, creating seamless connections with the landt attempting to unify the different conditions of the two banks of the Garonne.

 

The design is kept to the simplest expression – the least technical, least lyrical, an almost primitive structural solution. The bridge itself is not the 'event' in the city, but a platform that can accommodate all the events of the city - a contemporary boulevard. Space is provided for all modes of transportation, however by far the largest strip is devoted to pedestrians.

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My task with this OMA project, led by Gilles Guyot and partner-in-charge Chris van Dujin, was mainly technical detailing, both digital and physical. Starting from large-scale plans, I quickly shifted focus on the railing system, trying to invent an element that can be simultaneously repetitive and exciting over the span of 500m. Its distinct yet toned-down colours are chosen to celebrate both the steel structure of the bridge as well as the ever-changing shades of the Garonne.

 

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PROGRAMME: mixed transportation/pedestrian bridge 

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LOCATION: Bordeaux, France

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STATUS: DET stage 5 - construction

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