Archinect - News

Grimshaw's new pedestrian bridge opens in Toulouse

2024-07-09T15:35:00-04:00

The Grimshaw-designed Robert Poujade pedestrian bridge in Toulouse has officially opened.

Developed alongside ppa.architecture as part of a consortium led by French civil engineering construction company Eiffage, which included Ingérop, ATP, and Quartiers Lumières, the bridge is one of four that will connect the Île du Ramier and the city. It will provide accessible routes through Toulouse’s new “green lung” on the Garonne River.

Photo: Marc Mondange

The footbridge will serve as a catalyst for the development of the northern end of the Île du Ramier. This will include the redevelopment of the former Parc des Expositions site, along with car-free pedestrian access to the Art Deco Nakache swimming pool and stadium.

Photo: Marc Mondange

The approximately 525-foot-long bridge will link the city’s Fer à Cheval district to the north of the island. On the city side, it is connected to the riverbank, with access to the river promenade and cycle path. It is also connected to the Avenue du Mu...

Holcim and Zaha Hadid Architects team debuts second 3D printed concrete bridge concept

2024-01-14T08:00:00-05:00

Zaha Hadid Architects has released details of a second collaborative effort with Holcim on a 3D printed bridge concept that was first debuted as part of the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.

The new ten-ton Phoenix design offers an evolution of the innovations seen in the previous Striatus bridge, the original blocks of which the team was able to recycle in the second iteration.

Image: Vincent Delesvaux

For the project, Holcim was able to deliver Phoenix with a 25% overall reduction in CO2 footprint compared to its earlier counterpart, thanks to the use of an updated ECOCycle circular technology and a special proprietary concrete ink that was also developed by the company. The construction was completed recently in Lyon, France, on the grounds of Holcim’s Innovation Hub. Its proponents are now citing it as a milestone for the design industry’s quest to develop low-carbon structural solutions at different scales.

Image: Holcim

Shajay Bhooshan, head of Zaha Hadid Architects' Computati...

New construction updates on Zaha Hadid Architects' pedestrian bridge project in Hangzhou, China

2023-07-28T13:34:00-04:00

Zaha Hadid Architects has shared a new video detailing the construction progress of its pedestrian bridge project over the Grand Canal in Hangzhou, China.

Concrete arches are now in place for the bridge, which is located not far from the site of the firm’s recently announced multivenue sports complex. The design connects with the larger ‘Seamless City’ masterplan, which is underway on both sides of the city’s Qiantang River.

A video of the bridge’s progress can be viewed below courtesy of Hangzhou CBD Development Group.

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A post shared by Zaha Hadid Architects (@zahahadidarchitects)

The firm shares: “The new 320m pedestrian bridge defines the Grand Canal’s southern gateway on the Qiantang River, marking the start of the canal’s journey 1776 km north to Beijing. China’s most historic man-made waterway, some sections of the Grand Canal date back to the 5th century BC.”

Turenscape's 'floating forest' reshapes a former wasteland into a multifunctional urban landscape

2023-01-11T12:20:00-05:00

Beijing-based landscape architecture firm Turenscape has completed the transformation of a former 126-acre dumping ground into a “dreamlike floating forest” in the eastern Chinese city of Nanchang.

The new Fish Tail Park operates a triple function as a habitat for wildlife, a recreational area for the city, and a stormwater regulator, creating what the design team calls a “replicable model of designed urban nature for regions with monsoon or variable climates that can address the multiple challenges of floods, habitat restoration, and recreational demands.”

Image credit: Turenscape

To create the landscape, the team recycled coal ash previously dumped on the site, mixing it with dirt from fish pond dykes to create numerous islets. At the same time, a new lake was created to accommodate over 35 million cubic feet of stormwater inflow. In anticipation of fluctuating water levels, a selection of native trees and wetland plants capable of surviving the varying conditions have been plante...

The cost of LA River Park's Taylor Yard G2 project could surpass $1 billion according to new Bureau of Engineering study

2022-05-04T11:46:00-04:00

The cost to turn 42 acres of contaminated railroad property on the border of Cypress Park and Glassell Park into a "crown jewel" of riverfront revitalization could top $1 billion. That's according to an updated study by the Bureau of Engineering that will be reviewed today by a City Council committee.

In March 2017, the City of Los Angeles purchased the land, known as the G2 Parcel, for $60 million with the aim to develop a combination of park space, walking trails, wetlands, wildlife habitat, river access, public recreation, and other amenities.

The undertaking, known as the Taylor Yard G2 River Park Project, is a portion of the greaterLos Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan, and sets out to unite the surrounding Rio de Los Angeles State Park and the state-owned G1 Parcel, which together would form 100 acres of open space along the LA River.

Previously on Archinect: SPF:architects' anticipated LA River pedestrian bridge opens to the public with a unifying gesture

While a major milestone in the project was reached last month with the completion of the SPF:architects-designed Taylor Yard Pedestrian Bridge, the cost of the G2 revitalization has soared since the start.

As reported by The Eastsider, between 2016 and 2019 the cost jumped from $252 million to $798.2 million, whi...

SPF:architects' anticipated LA River pedestrian bridge opens to the public with a unifying gesture

2022-04-27T09:00:00-04:00

A major milestone in the ongoing LA River revitalization has been reached after SPF:architects announced the completion of its new Taylor Yard Pedestrian Bridge earlier this month.

Connecting an area north of Dodger Stadium known as Elysian Valley to the neighboring Cypress Park district, the bridge sits on a 42-acre former railway site and has been given the nickname ‘Rumblefish’ by its creators. The bridge takes its namesake and vibrant orange color from a lesser-known Francis Ford Coppola film that SPF:a felt reflected the same ideas of cohesion and brotherly unity expressed in its architecture and will thus serve as the most important piece of infrastructure in the larger Taylor Yard G2 River Park Project currently being undertaken by LA’s Bureau of Engineering.

Photo: Mike Kelley

Construction on the bridge began in 2019 and eventually yielded a 400-foot box-trussed span, in touch with the area’s industrial character and opposing elevations, with two cantilevered central viewing ...

OMA's new pedestrian bridge aims to lead the Mexican city of Jojutla on a path to the future

2021-09-23T19:48:00-04:00

Four years removed from one of the worst natural disasters in Mexico’s history, one small city in the state of Morelos is ready to bridge the chasm between past tragedy and future optimism thanks to the efforts of one New York firm.

Image courtesy of OMA New York

OMA has announced that it will be developing a new pedestrian bridge for the city of Jojutla to coincide with the anniversary of the devastating 2017 earthquake that left much of the city in shambles, and many of its residents to question the viability of the community long term.

Image courtesy of OMA New York

The project is the latest addition to OMA’s ongoing public space and resiliency push that includes a comprehensive post-Hurricane Sandy water use strategy for Hoboken, New Jersey, and the 11th Street Bridge Park development in Washington, DC.

Image courtesy of OMA New York/CCA, Model and Photography by CCA

The new bridge represents OMA New York’s contribution to the region’s ambitious recovery effort. Jojutla has beco...

See the elevated pedestrian pathway that will connect the High Line to Moynihan Train Hall

2021-09-22T19:08:00-04:00

Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled designs for an elevated pedestrian pathway that will connect the High Line to the recently opened Moynihan Train Hall. The $50 million project will also connect Chelsea with other West Side destinations like Hudson Yards, Manhattan West, Penn Station, and the Javits Center. The pathway is expected to be completed by Spring 2023.

Rendering courtesy of the Governor's Office

Volkan Alkanoglu's new 'Drift' Pedestrian Bridge opens in Fort Worth, Texas

2021-08-05T10:06:00-04:00

Portland, Oregon-based designer Volkan Alkanoglu has installed a new timber and steel pedestrian bridge to showcase the “Plug-and-play urbanism” design strategy that is emerging behind the help of new technologies. The prefabricated off-site and installed in only a few hours, Noah’s Ark-like structure was commissioned by the city’s Public Art program to span an 80-foot-wide culvert in the South Hills neighborhood south of downtown.

The design is meant to resemble driftwood that collects in the creek area, which is also defined by mid-century modern ranch homes that Alkanoglu drew on for an additional reference.

Photography by Jennifer Boomer

Per the architect: “While Alkanoglu originally envisioned fabricating the bridge solely from cross-laminated timber, budgetary constraints encouraged a different but equally innovative strategy. Taking a cue from shipbuilding techniques, he and a team of engineers began with a steel armature, but veered away from tradition by cladding it with CN...

Zaha Hadid Architects and Block Research Group unveil world's first 3D-printed concrete footbridge built without any reinforcement

2021-07-19T20:34:00-04:00

A first-of-its-kind arched masonry footbridge composed of 3D-printed concrete blocks and assembled without mortar or reinforcement is now open in Venice. The project, called Striatus, is being showcased at the public park Giardini della Marinaressa during the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale until November.

Photo: © naaro

The approximately 40-by-52-foot pedestrian bridge was developed through a collaboration between the Block Research Group (BRG) at ETH Zurich and Zaha Hadid Architects Computation and Design Group (ZHACODE), in collaboration with Incremental3D (in3D) and made possible by Holcim. The project combines traditional masonry techniques with advanced computational design, engineering, and robotic manufacturing technologies. It aims to demonstrate an alternative, more sustainable, and ecologically responsible approach to building with concrete.

Photo: © naaro

Striatus is composed of a new type of 3D-printed concrete, which the researchers developed together with in3D. In ...

Knight Architects receives public approval for pedestrian bridge in London's Canary Wharf

2021-07-08T16:39:00-04:00

Bridge specialists, Knight Architects, have received substantial public approval for their South Dock Bridge, a new pedestrian bridge in London’s Docklands. Once completed, it is expected to become one of the busiest pedestrian bridges in London.

Designed by Knight Architects, Arcadis, and Kgal for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH), the proposed bridge will support increased volumes of pedestrian traffic, which are predicted with the expansion of the Isle of Dogs, a historic, major trading center in London. The area is surrounded by the River Thames and contains Canary Wharf, one of the UK’s main financial centers. The increased predicted levels of pedestrian traffic in the Isle of Dogs is set to be above levels that can be comfortably accommodated with existing infrastructure. The South Dock Bridge intends to support this expansion.

The bridge will improve walkable connections between existing public spaces with proposed development in the area and local public transit. I...

An architect is helping cougars cross the 101 Freeway safely

2021-07-07T13:05:00-04:00

Architect Robert Rock is facing a Herculean task: Design a bridge that will allow mountain lions to cross safely over a stretch of the 101 Freeway that roars with the traffic of 300,000 vehicles each day.

A pedestrian bridge for animals in the region has been proposed for several years. Advocates will now face an uphill climb to raise an additional $27 million for the projected $65 million price tag before August after previously securing $38 million thanks to a #SaveLACougars social media campaign from the National Wildlife Foundation.

Previously on Archinect: Los Angeles is building an urban wildlife crossing

The bridge is necessary to protect gene flow between two small populations of wild cougars that live between Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. With funding, the bridge could be installed in time for 2025. The LA Times has more on Rock's project here.

The World's Longest Pedestrian Bridge Opens In Portugal

2021-05-06T12:23:00-04:00

What’s the last best place for the world’s largest pedestrian bridge? If your answer is suspended 500 feet over a river gorge, you may have a new post-Covid bucket list destination.

That is the predicament for the newly-opened 516 Arouca, which this week began accepting thrill-seekers interested in walking over its 1,693 foot span.

516 Arouca, photos courtesy of 516 Arouca

The bridge, which sits over Portugal’s Paiva River, features a mesh tray offering views of the surrounding Arouca Geopark, a UNESCO-affiliated institution that includes a 10th Century monastery, quartz veins and many other breathtaking natural views. Visitors to the bridge can feel somewhat at ease running their hands up the steel cable that connects each side to two massive v-shaped concrete towers built by Portugese construction firm Conduril in collaboration with studio Itecons, which was responsible for its design.

516 Arouca, photos courtesy of 516 Arouca

The project costs ran north of €2.3 million and took e...

A new network of pedestrian and cycling bridges could come to New York City

2020-07-01T13:29:00-04:00

The NYU Tandon School of Engineering, T.Y. Lin International, and Sam Schwartz Engineering have unveiled a proposal for a new bridge connecting Queens and Manhattan.

The so-called "Queens Ribbon" proposal is part of a larger set of pedestrian and bicycle bridges proposed by the design team that aim to bring expanded connectivity to the New York City and eastern New Jersey region. The Queens Ribbon bridge, according to the group, would be the first new bridge crossing into Manhattan's business district since 1909.

The design consortium that created the bridge proposals was formed, according to a press release, in the wake of COVID-19 to "develop transportation improvements that would not only be of value during 'normal' times, but would also provide a lifeline in future crises."

The statement continues: "During the COVID-19 outbreak, New Yorkers have been turning to walking and biking in great numbers. After 9/11, Super Storm Sandy, the 2003 blackout, and transit strikes, walking ...

Florida DOT plans to replace collapsed FIU pedestrian bridge

2020-05-13T14:44:00-04:00

The Florida DOT (FDOT) announced last week that it will build a replacement for the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in March 2018 while under construction on the Florida International University campus in Miami. [...] The department said that it will oversee and manage the construction of the new bridge and will incorporate the recommendations offered up by the National Transportation Safety Board [...].

The collapse of the pedestrian bridge on Florida International University's Miami campus killed six people in March 2018.

Pedestrian bridge in Providence anticipates bustling activity with sweeping wooden form

2019-12-18T08:00:00-05:00

The Providence River Pedestrian Bridge was designed by Detroit-based architecture firm inFORM Studio and structures designer BuroHappold for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT).

Photo: Kroo Photography

Flowing through the heart of the city, the new bridge connects two new waterfront parks and expands Providence's Innovation & Design District. “Current and proposed projects around the new Innovation & Design district stand to add more than 1,600 new residential units and 750,000 square feet of commercial and research space to the area,” said Craid Schwitter, partner at BuroHappold expressed in a statement.

Photo: Kroo Photography

The increase in development surrounding the project will accommodate 4,500 residents and 2,100 new employees, which includes housing that will serve the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, and other local institutions.

New Tintagel Castle Footbridge: high-tech construction at ancient King Arthur site

2019-06-19T16:00:00-04:00

A spectacular footbridge that will link the Cornish mainland with the island fortress of Tintagel is beginning to take shape thanks to technology usually employed for challenging construction projects in the Swiss Alps. [...] The 70-metre-long bridge is to comprise of two cantilevers, one reaching out from the mainland to the island where according to legend King Arthur was conceived.

Image: Ney & Partners, William Matthews Associates, Hayes Davidson, Emily Whitfield-Wicks

The new Tintagel footbridge at this historically significant site in Cornwall, England was envisioned by Belgian bridge designers Ney & Partners Civil Engineers in partnership with UK architecture firm William Matthews Associates and emerged as the winning proposal from the 2015 Tintagel Castle: Bridge Design Competition.

Image: Ney & Partners, William Matthews Associates, Hayes Davidson, Emily Whitfield-Wicks

"The aim was to find a bridge specifically tailored to Tintagel Castle, harmonising with the iconic coastal landscape," explains the project description on English Heritage's website. "The design sees two cantilevers reach out and meet, not quite touching, with a 40mm gap in the middle. The gap represents the transition from the mainland to the island, present to past."

View this post on Instagram Tintagel footbridge.... it’s started!
A post shared by William Matthews As...

Contractors of collapsed Miami bridge fined for worker-safety violations

2018-09-21T13:29:00-04:00

The contractors who designed and built the disastrous Florida International University bridge have been cited by federal authorities for several “serious” worker-safety violations and face tens of thousands of dollars in fines. [...] The FIU pedestrian bridge collapsed March 15 while it was still under construction over Southwest Eighth Street, killing five motorists below and a worker, Navaro Brown, who had been standing atop the span.

This round of OSHA citations is likely only the beginning of legal actions resulting from the deadly collapse of the new Florida International University pedestrian bridge in March 2018. Investigations of the National Transportation Safety Board are ongoing and, depending on its findings, could lead to a criminal case.

Giant weathered hands lift this new golden pedestrian bridge in Vietnam

2018-08-08T14:56:00-04:00

Cau Vang or the “Golden Bridge” in Vietnam’s Ba Na Hills has attracted scores of tourists since it opened in June [...] The pedestrian walkway, designed by TA Landscape Architecture in Ho Chi Minh City, sits at over 3,280 feet above sea level and extends over the treetops from the edge of a leafy cliff face. The bridge was designed to evoke the image of the “giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip of gold out of the land,” said Vu Viet Anh, Design Principal at TA Landscape Architecture.

SPF:architects to begin construction on LA River Bridge in 2019

2018-04-25T19:28:00-04:00

SPF:architects (SPF:a) has just released new renderings for Rumblefish, a 400-foot pedestrian bridge spanning across the LA River and connecting Elysian Valley (Frogtown) to Taylor Yard, a 42-acre industrial parcel and former rail yard site at the center of the city’s river revitalization plans.

Rumblefish bridge rendering over the Los Angeles River. © SPF:architects

The name Rumblefish refers to the 1983 Coppola film about rival gangs which the firm chose as a symbolic gesture to the area’s own history of gang violence. SPF:a envisions the officially-named Taylor Yard Bikeway & Pedestrian Bridge as a peaceful community collision.

Rumblefish bridge rendering over the Los Angeles River. © SPF:architects

Influenced by classic railway bridges and the mid-20th century Los Angeles Case Study Houses, the simple geometric design and deliberate choice to employ the lightest structural elements possible (tube steel, wide f...

A new proposal for Miami's collapsed bridge by Dover, Kohl & Partners

2018-04-09T15:43:00-04:00

Last week, street planners Victor Dover and Kenneth García of the Miami firm Dover, Kohl & Partners published a proposal for redesigning the area. The pair criticized not only the “accelerated bridge construction” technique used in the FIU-Sweetwater UniversityCity Bridge, but the fundamental design of the street it once spanned.

Following the Miami FIU bridge collapse three weeks ago, investigations have been conducted on what went wrong. Looking ahead to reconstruction, the Miami based design firm Dover, Kohl & Partners proposes a new pedestrian friendly design for Eighth Street. Focusing on greater harmony between pedestrians, bikers, public transit, and cars, the firm's goal is to make the entire area safer and more appealing.

The design calls for reducing the eight-lanes of traffic down to five, a middle section designated to public transportation, with bike lanes and trees added along the roadway. Rather than rebuilding the pedestrian bridge, multiple street level crosswalks would be added for residents and students. The firm does not expect this design to be pursued, however their aim is to put forth a solution to a problem they see across the country.

SPF:architects' "Rainbow Bridge" is now open in Long Beach, CA

2018-02-08T20:13:00-05:00

SPF:architects' new pedestrian bridge, named "Rainbow Bridge", is now open to the public of Long Beach, CA. The bridge provides a connection between Long Beach's Convention Center and Performing Arts Center.

Rainbow Bridge by SPF:a located in Long Beach, CA. Image: SPF:a.

Previously, moving between these spaces required navigating loading docs and HVAC equipment on a stretch of the Seaside Way. Initially conceived of as a simple elevated sidewalk, the walkway developed into a much fuller project. Visitors can now not only easily connect between these two spaces, they can also enjoy an architectural experience along the way.

Rainbow Bridge by SPF:a located in Long Beach, CA. Image: SPF:a.

The finished project is a 600-foot bridge consisting of 76 custom-welded bent-steel ribs framing the top, and approximately 1,200 cubic yards of poured-in-place concrete shaping the base. The bridge canopy features 3,500 color-changing LED node lights, which can be programmed and synched to music to...

Richard Meier & Partners completes their first bridge project, the new Cittadella Bridge

2017-09-26T19:09:00-04:00

Over 20 years after being commissioned, Richard Meier & Partners finally completed the new Cittadella Bridge in Alessandria, Italy. As the practice's first bridge (which they worked on with Dante O. Benini & Partners Architects), the 185-meter-long structure reconnects the city with an 18th-century citadel across the Tanaro River, and replaces the original Napoleonic-era Cittadella Bridge.

Following the floods of Alessandria in 1994, the water level rose high enough to cover the roadway and the piers of the original bridge. The new bridge is 32.5 meters tall and stands well above the flood plain, restoring the natural flow of the river. With a surface area of about 4,150 m2, the new bridge is made of white precast concrete, painted steel, aluminum, and ipe hardwood. It was also designed with separate parallel routes for vehicles and pedestrians.

“I am extremely pleased to have completed this new modern...

Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands + Leo Villareal to light London's bridges anew

2016-12-13T18:56:00-05:00

The team led by artist Leo Villareal and architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands had the winning proposal in the Illuminated River design competition, which will redesign the lighting scheme for central London's bridges across the River Thames. The winners were one of six shortlisted schemes created by notable contenders such as Adjaye Associates, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Amanda Levete Architects, who all led multi-disciplinary teams with famous artists.

Learn more on Bustler.

For more about bridges on Archinect:

If London Garden Bridge is cancelled, NAO report says taxpayers could lose £20m

NEXT Architects design a swooping "Mobius strip" bridge for Changsha, China

Calatrava's Peace Bridge in Calgary keeps getting vandalized and the repair costs are adding up

A bridge 57 years in the making, designed by Steven Holl

2016-07-20T13:32:00-04:00

In 1959, Edward Durell Stone had envisioned a pedestrian walkway connecting his unbuilt design for the Kennedy Center to the Potomac River, but it was not until this year that Steven Holl Architects gained approval for the bridge, which is part of the firm's larger expansion design for the center. The bridge will not only provide a tangible connection between the facility and the landscape, but allow opportunities to visit a cafe and view outdoor art events, including an exterior wall which will double as a site for broadcasts and simulcast performances.

“This is a joyful moment for a public space which will be shared and enjoyed by many in the future,” said Steven Holl in a press release. “After thoughtful review by these regulatory agencies, we have achieved complete approval for our Kennedy Center Expansion project and its public access to the Potomac Riverfront.”

Trading the L Train for a giant inflatable condom?

2016-06-30T17:58:00-04:00

In 2019, New York City's Hurricane Sandy-damaged L Train tunnel will shut down for repairs, making it tricky to get across the East River without a new form of transport. In a competition sponsored by the Van Alen Institute to find alternatives, AECOM suggested building a fiber-glass fabric tunnel for pedestrians that could also double as a projection space.

The tunnel, which an AECOM designer likened to an inflatable condom in this DNA info article, would have segments above and below the water line in order to enable river traffic to pass over it.

However, the super-sized prophylactic ended up being a hard sell, losing out to the docking ferry proposal "Transient Transit" (pictured above) designed by BuroHappold Engineering and Kohn Pederson Fox Associates for the competition's $1,000 prize.

All the latest in river-design news:

Olafur Eliasson opens ship-themed pedestrian bridge in Copenhagen

2015-08-24T12:18:00-04:00

A pedestrian bridge designed by Olafur Eliasson has opened in Copenhagen, inspired by the Danish-Icelandic artist's childhood in Iceland. Reminiscent of sailing boats, Cirkelbroen, or circle bridge, is made of five circular platforms in different sizes, each with its own "mast", according to Danish foundation Nordea-fonden [...]. Spanning the Danish capital's Christianshavn canal, the bridge, some 40 meters-long (131 feet), has a section that swings open to allow boats to pass through.

Olafur Eliasson in the Archinect news:

Follow the yellow wooden road into Rotterdam's new Luchtsingel pedestrian park

2015-07-14T19:46:00-04:00

Rotterdam recently welcomed The Luchtsingel, a communal endeavor to spruce up the long-neglected Hofplein neighborhood in the heart of the city. Locally based architecture practice Zones Urbaines Sensibles (ZUS) devised The Luchtsingel in 2011. The focal point of the emerging "three-dimensional cityscape" is a nearly 400-meter wooden pedestrian bridge that was largely built from crowdsourced funds, accompanied by a network of refurbished public spaces.

"Based on the idea of Permanent Temporality, the Luchtsingel introduces a new way of [city-making]. This means using the city's evolutionary character and existing forms as a starting point. Therefore, we have developed new instruments for design, financing, and planning," said ZUS partner Elma van Boxel in a statement.

The project gained traction when ZUS set up the "I Make Rotterdam" crowdfunding campaign for the bridge. The campaign sold over 8,000 boards painted in a hard-to-ignore shade of yellow inscribed with the supporter's name...

Amsterdam could get a new 3D-printed bridge built by robots

2015-06-17T18:57:00-04:00

MX3D, a research and development startup company, will use robots to 3D print a pedestrian bridge across one of Amsterdam’s canals. The versatile six-axis robotic arms will ‘draw’ steel structures in 3D, starting from one side of the canal and building across until it reaches the other end. The robot will also print its own support, which allows it to work autonomously. The location of the bridge will be announced soon and construction is set to commence in 2017.

Would you cross these bridges? Check out a few Nine Elms to Pimlico Bridge entries for London's River Thames

2015-02-24T20:44:00-05:00

As part of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework, London's Borough of Wandsworth has its sights on constructing a new pedestrian bridge across the River Thames, between the two very distinct districts of Nine Elms and Pimlico. Quite evidently, the teams currently in the Nine Elm to Pilmico Bridge competition aren't holding back their imaginations.

Launched this past December, the competition invited multidisciplinary teams worldwide to conjure up a design concept that would serve as a basis for the final design of the bridge for construction -- if the project even gets to that point. The competition organizers state on their website that they're not looking for a specific design, but rather the best team that shows the strongest capability of designing the landmark bridge.

Out of the 74 schemes from Stage One, we picked out a few that caught our attention:

↑ Scheme 70

↑ Scheme 60

↑ Scheme 62

↑ Scheme 04

↑ Scheme 43

↑ Scheme 08

↑ Scheme 80

↑ Scheme 10

↑ Scheme 29

↑...