Bridges between art and science

As a guest blogger  I publish at Mar 30, 2014 this text at www.archh.com :  

When Art And Science Combine To Create The Most Innovative Bridge Designs

http://www.archh.com/blogs/95/when-art-and-science-combine-to-create-the-most-innovative-bridge-designs/

I have also my attempt of design a bridge. The projected pedestrian and bicycle bridge represents architectural – constructive response for the concourse subject “The Drava River Area” for rearranging the town of Maribor in the European Capital of culture in 2012. The bridge itself is modern creation of significant urban element, functionally embedded in the urban tissue and stands for a sustainable structure. 

Proposed solution of this footbridge is compatible with the history artifacts in Lent and Tabor area and also natural attributes of Drava embankment. The bridge is placed in harmony with the surrounding of historic town core of Maribor, and in correlation with the other bridges on river Drava. It is very interesting to highlight on the relation with the neighboring bridge – the Main Bridge. The bridge provides movement for all users – pedestrians, bicycles (with speed approx to the pedestrian`s), and it is accessible to the persons with special needs.

The bridge composition reminds on longitudinal and open tube, embedded with “wings” of precast wooden elements. These wings are centripetally overcrossing each other symmetrically from both sides of the horizontal axis that passes through the center of circles, forming the constructive elements of the columns (piers). This game of visual overcrossing, underneath and above, metaphorically is presenting the body of vine – personification of “Stara trta”, or the oldest noble vine in the world, 400 years existing in Lent, on the left bank of river Drava. The composition made by arched wings is placed symmetrically to the central bridge axis and in the hanging direction, provides an open sight to the town panorama and view towards the other Drava bridges. The whole bridge is transparent and light, exciting and dynamic, enwrapped with wood (wooden precast wings), wooden handrails and wooden base for movement in glass combination that initiates comfortable ambience of warmth and nature. Both columns (piers) on which the bridge cables are hanging are symbolizing the town gates, existing in the time duration of the previous bridge on both banks of river Drava. 

The idea of central motto “Pure energy” which characterizes Maribor as European Capital in 2012 is connected with the future sustainable development.  That is in the very essence of this task, to promote the pedestrian and bicycle movement as healthy and clean way of transport. The proposed bridge solution gives opportunity for combined movement of pedestrians and bicycles. Beside this, the bridge itself uses energy efficient technology for lighting. With placed photovoltaic cells on small panels embedded in the constructive bridge elements – it is possible to absorb the daylight, which will be essential source for night bridge lighting. This way the bridge gains another quality, because of sustainability.