There are many famous footbridges that have a spectacular, eye-catching design or functionality. They feature extravagant structures, large spans or outstanding locations and they are globally published and widely discussed amongst professionals and laymen. However, there are smaller and simpler bridges, whose good and appropriate design, structural behaviour and sustainability can only be seen at the second look. While not having showy features they are beautiful, reasonable, efficient, sometimes trendsetting but always interesting enough to justify careful attention.
This paper presents five bridges – designed by schlaich bergermann partner completed within the past few years – that are characterized especially by their apparent simplicity: a simple beam bridge in Backnang, three arch bridges in Dortmund, a prestressed concrete beam bridge in Hamburg, a two-span stress ribbon bridge in Schwäbisch Gmünd and a fixed-end beam bridge in Esslingen.