It's rare that spectacle and nuance combine effortlessly, but an exception can be made for the lithe sculptural form of the San Shan Bridge. The bridge, which translated into English means "three mountains," will serve as a shapely conduit between Beijing and the river valleys of Zhangjiakou during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. According to architects penda, "the formal inspiration for the San Shan Bridge is a conjunction of its undulating surrounding and the meaning of the Olympic symbol, which consists of five interlaced rings of equal dimensions... ‘Entering the rings’ on the way to the Olympic competitions, should be seen as an contextual icon for the Games."

The bridge is a fresh and visually striking play on the use of Olympic imagery: as it crosses the Gui River, it not only makes reference to the well-worn ring symbol, but has a certain DNA helix quality. Vegetation flanks the alabaster pedestrian walkways, which expand into viewing platforms. 

Aside from its sculptural elegance, the bridge is also materially savvy. According to the architects, because of its dual helix structure, the 452-meter long bridge uses five times less steel than a conventional box girder bridge would.

For more of penda's work:

• The “O” bridge proposal by Chris Precht and Alex Daxböck for Salford Meadows Bridge Competition
• Edible Austrian Pavilion for 2015 Milan Expo by penda & Alex Daxböck
• Graft & penda’s Myrtle Garden Hotel to break ground in Xiangyang, China