The 68 most bizarre and perilous bridges
Seen lots of them before, but still plenty of memorable bridges at Weburbanist.com
Safety of new Venice bridge in doubt
Unclear what's new in fresh report on Calatrava footbridge labelled "not fully functional" - a quick go with Google Translate and the Italian press suggests only that bridge serviceability testing has revealed "many dark sides" ...
The Trinity Trust Announces "Bridging the Trinity" with Santiago Calatrava, Award-Winning Architect and Designer of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Party (get your tickets here) to celebrate progress on extravagant Dallas design
Dublin bridge wins European award
Spencer Dock Bridge wins LEAF Best Structural Design prize
Spanning the Tyne's Bridges
Exhibition in Gateshead runs until October 11th
Related posts:
Spencer Dock Bridge
Showing posts with label Future Systems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Future Systems. Show all posts
08 September 2009
22 July 2009
Spencer Dock Bridge
I recently posted a link to an interview with Amanda Levete, whose project with Arup for a highway / light rail bridge at Spencer Dock in Dublin has recently been partially opened to road traffic [PDF].
Following the winding-up of her previous practice Future Systems, Levete has established a new practice, Amanda Levete Architects, who have recently released a delightful set of photos of the Spencer Dock structure (larger versions online here). I'll note from the outset that while AL_A are currently claiming much of the credit for the bridge, it should presumably be shared in some part with Nex Architecture, another new practice formed by Alan Dempsey, who left Future Systems after acting as project architect for Spencer Dock. Judging from his very interesting presentations online [both PDF], he played a large part in ensuring the complex geometry was actually buildable (several of the images below come from those presentations; all other images are from AL_A). I've mentioned Dempsey here previously, when he won the Ballsbridge-Dodder footbridge competition.
The bridge is a slightly asymmetric two-span, 3250-tonne post-tensioned structure, 40m in length and about 25m wide. As with many Future Systems designs, the bridge is organic in form and in this instance appears to draw inspiration from the undulating shape of a manta ray. The flowing form is a little reminiscent of their unsuccessful entry to the Glasgowbridge competition.
Designing an aesthetically attractive bridge with such a large width-to-length ratio is always a challenge, particularly considering the appearance from below. It's all too easy to create a space that's dark, forbidding and unpleasant.
At a reported €5m, the bridge is pretty good value for money (about €5k per square metre), although as far as structural or construction efficiency goes, it's an exceptionally inefficient design. To achieve the curved soffit, the canal bed was pumped dry, and 250 individually profiled polystyrene blocks were assembled on scaffolding.
Each block has been individually cut using CNC machinery, coated in polyurea and then sanded to give a smooth finish. The image on the right is from the CAD model used to work out the block profiles. The edge fascias comprise 34 precast elements, each slightly different in geometry.
It's difficult to see how else the doubly-curved shape could have been achieved, as the structure doesn't lend itself to the use of fibre-glass or ultra-high strength concrete shells. I guess it's a shame that all this advanced technology can't also be employed to make the poor reinforcement detailer and fixers' jobs easier - designing and then fitting all that curved rebar can't have been much fun.
While this is all completely at odds with the conventional wisdom amongst bridge engineers, it's a powerful lesson in what can be achieved visually using modern digital design technology with the assistance of innovative talent and a supportive client. One of the great failings of modern concrete construction is that despite its ability to create beautifully sculpted shapes, it is so rarely used in this way.
The bridge is all in white concrete, which will maximise the feeling of light underneath, although some of the preliminary visuals suggested a murky green appearance, which would have been interesting. Intelligent use has been made of recesses between the polystyrene panels to both break up the soffit and hide what would otherwise be irregular formwork joints.
Following the winding-up of her previous practice Future Systems, Levete has established a new practice, Amanda Levete Architects, who have recently released a delightful set of photos of the Spencer Dock structure (larger versions online here). I'll note from the outset that while AL_A are currently claiming much of the credit for the bridge, it should presumably be shared in some part with Nex Architecture, another new practice formed by Alan Dempsey, who left Future Systems after acting as project architect for Spencer Dock. Judging from his very interesting presentations online [both PDF], he played a large part in ensuring the complex geometry was actually buildable (several of the images below come from those presentations; all other images are from AL_A). I've mentioned Dempsey here previously, when he won the Ballsbridge-Dodder footbridge competition.
The bridge is a slightly asymmetric two-span, 3250-tonne post-tensioned structure, 40m in length and about 25m wide. As with many Future Systems designs, the bridge is organic in form and in this instance appears to draw inspiration from the undulating shape of a manta ray. The flowing form is a little reminiscent of their unsuccessful entry to the Glasgowbridge competition.
Designing an aesthetically attractive bridge with such a large width-to-length ratio is always a challenge, particularly considering the appearance from below. It's all too easy to create a space that's dark, forbidding and unpleasant.
At a reported €5m, the bridge is pretty good value for money (about €5k per square metre), although as far as structural or construction efficiency goes, it's an exceptionally inefficient design. To achieve the curved soffit, the canal bed was pumped dry, and 250 individually profiled polystyrene blocks were assembled on scaffolding.
Each block has been individually cut using CNC machinery, coated in polyurea and then sanded to give a smooth finish. The image on the right is from the CAD model used to work out the block profiles. The edge fascias comprise 34 precast elements, each slightly different in geometry.
It's difficult to see how else the doubly-curved shape could have been achieved, as the structure doesn't lend itself to the use of fibre-glass or ultra-high strength concrete shells. I guess it's a shame that all this advanced technology can't also be employed to make the poor reinforcement detailer and fixers' jobs easier - designing and then fitting all that curved rebar can't have been much fun.
While this is all completely at odds with the conventional wisdom amongst bridge engineers, it's a powerful lesson in what can be achieved visually using modern digital design technology with the assistance of innovative talent and a supportive client. One of the great failings of modern concrete construction is that despite its ability to create beautifully sculpted shapes, it is so rarely used in this way.The bridge is all in white concrete, which will maximise the feeling of light underneath, although some of the preliminary visuals suggested a murky green appearance, which would have been interesting. Intelligent use has been made of recesses between the polystyrene panels to both break up the soffit and hide what would otherwise be irregular formwork joints.
Overall, has the effort been worthwhile? I'm generally no fan of blobitecture, which strikes me as a fad which will ultimately have to give way to the more efficient spaces and construction methods demanded by a low-carbon, post-crash economy. However, the photos suggest this to be an uncommonly beautiful bridge. And there are technological spin-offs from pioneering work of this kind which will prove useful elsewhere, and which will never arise from the mundane projects where boundaries are respected rather than pushed.
The bridge has been nominated for a LEAF Award.
13 July 2009
Bridges news roundup
Book tells story of Forth Bridge Briggers
Eslpeth Wells interviewed on her new book “The Briggers: The Story of the Men Who Built the Forth Bridge”
City architects peddle idea for cycle way over Leith Walk
Smith Scott Mullan Associates propose new bridge in Edinburgh
Olympic footbridge touches down in Stratford
1600-tonne pedestrian bridge completes launch across rail tracks
Bridge dispute moves to court
Watson and Macalloy unable to reach agreement in £1.8m "squinty bridge" case
Roads to nowhere - abandoned, ruined and unfinished bridges
Does what it says on the tin
Spencer Dock Bridge nearly complete
Amanda Levete interviewed on Future Systems bridge in Dublin
Santiago Calatrava Wins European Steel Design Award for His Bridges at Reggio Emilia
Three bridges in Italy win ECCS prize
Pedestrian and bike bridge proposed for False Creek
Gregory Henriquez designs suspension footbridge for Vancouver
Eslpeth Wells interviewed on her new book “The Briggers: The Story of the Men Who Built the Forth Bridge”
City architects peddle idea for cycle way over Leith Walk
Smith Scott Mullan Associates propose new bridge in Edinburgh
Olympic footbridge touches down in Stratford
1600-tonne pedestrian bridge completes launch across rail tracks
Bridge dispute moves to court
Watson and Macalloy unable to reach agreement in £1.8m "squinty bridge" case
Roads to nowhere - abandoned, ruined and unfinished bridges
Does what it says on the tin
Spencer Dock Bridge nearly complete
Amanda Levete interviewed on Future Systems bridge in Dublin
Santiago Calatrava Wins European Steel Design Award for His Bridges at Reggio Emilia
Three bridges in Italy win ECCS prize
Pedestrian and bike bridge proposed for False Creek
Gregory Henriquez designs suspension footbridge for Vancouver
15 January 2009
Bridges news roundup
Iron Bridge set for revamp
Removal of utilities to return bridge to 18th century condition
Forth Bridge on track to join pyramids and Taj Mahal
Old rail bridge may become World Heritage Site
Forth Bridge payment plan blocked
New road bridge struggles to agree funding
Rebels too late - Calgary bridge contract already signed
Councillors fail in attempt to open Calatrava bridge to competition (see previous posting for more)
Newport Transporter Bridge can't find enough cash
4% of needed funds granted - 96% still awaited (again see previous posting)
Jan Kaplicky dies aged 71
Kaplicky was known more for his buildings and general design work than his bridges, but his firm Future Systems' design for the floating bridge at West India Dock in London is undoubtedly one of the most noteable footbridge designs of recent decades, while other designs such as at Spencer Dock (pictured), Olympic Park and in Glasgow offered a very unconventional view of the possibilities for bridge design.
Removal of utilities to return bridge to 18th century condition
Forth Bridge on track to join pyramids and Taj Mahal
Old rail bridge may become World Heritage Site
Forth Bridge payment plan blocked
New road bridge struggles to agree funding
Rebels too late - Calgary bridge contract already signed
Councillors fail in attempt to open Calatrava bridge to competition (see previous posting for more)
Newport Transporter Bridge can't find enough cash
4% of needed funds granted - 96% still awaited (again see previous posting)
Jan Kaplicky dies aged 71Kaplicky was known more for his buildings and general design work than his bridges, but his firm Future Systems' design for the floating bridge at West India Dock in London is undoubtedly one of the most noteable footbridge designs of recent decades, while other designs such as at Spencer Dock (pictured), Olympic Park and in Glasgow offered a very unconventional view of the possibilities for bridge design.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
