City Bridge The Crossing

Design for a bridge in a design and build competition. Designing a bridge for a city is creating a scene for the urban environment and the surrounding landscape. The arch, the main part of the design, accentuates the river and its width. It is a structure which is a 21st icon for the city. The abutments are the result of a combination of local materials and construction methods: in situ concrete and brick masonry. They have a human scale thanks to their design, dimensions, details and materials. The bridges is the result of an optimized engineering process. Its visually efficient structure has a natural beauty. The bridge is an integral design and therefor sustainable: to reduce wear and tear there are as less as possible joints, therefor also noise is reduced. Brick is more than 100 years sustainable and the finishing of the concrete vaults of the abutments is resistant to much more pollution than common bridges.