Not one, but two out of three bridge designs submitted by the Shanghai team of schlaich bergermann partner have been chosen as winners in the Jiangxi River Bridge competition. The Bridges are placed in Tianfu Airport City – a high-tech industrial development zone in the south of Chengdu.
In the competition for the North Bridge spanning across the Jiangxi River, schlaich bergermann partner won the 1st prize with their design of an asymmetric cable-stayed bridge with a total length of 280m and a curved mast, constituting a self-anchored, efficient, and innovative structural solution. Located right next to the Tianfu International Airport, the North Bridge with its elegant, futuristic appearance – visible from airplanes taking off and landing at the new airport – will become a beacon, welcoming people traveling to Tianfu Airport City. While the bridge is connecting the airport and its surrounding industrial zone with the high-tech industrial area of Tianfu Airport City, its striking curved mast is oriented towards the latter. Leading and inviting people to the city, the bridge represents a modern and welcoming gateway.
The winning design for the second bridge – N°4 Jiangxi River Bridge – is developed around the idea of a seemingly floating structure above the Jiangxi riverscape. The bridge is following a discreet and elegant approach by placing filigree elements below the deck and keeping the view on top of the bridge clean and transparent. The 20m high V-columns are naturally growing out of the park and support the gently waving bridge – with a total length of 180m – like a technical sculpture. The traffic zones are placed along longitudinal ribbons with fast traffic in the center; scooters and pedestrians placed sideways. A special feature is the suspended footbridge connection below the main deck – guiding pedestrians across Jiangxi River on park level.
In the competition for the three to be constructed Jiangxi River bridges, schlaich bergermann partner was competing against teams containing: AECOM, Zaha Hadid Architects, AREP, Carlos Fernandez Casado, Super Geometry Architects and others. Next to their modern and elegant designs, the two winning entries by schlaich bergermann partner were praised by the judges for their creative and skillful lighting design concepts, accentuating the different elements and functionalities of the structures.
