Halo is the result of an international competition held in 2021 by the Vigo Municipality and won by the team formed by NOARQ (Porto, Portugal), AM2 architects (Vigo, Spain) and the Spanish bridge designers Arenas & Asociados. This team has carried out the detailed design and site supervision, while the construction was carried out by contractors Ferrovial and Oreco Balgon. The new mobility solution is composed by two-elevator tower to cross the 40 m height difference, and a striking circular footbridge with 84 m diameter spans over the busy highway with 6 lanes below.

As a result of its many slopes, hills and level differences, multiple solutions for vertical connectivity and mobility have been developed for the city as part of the Vertical Vigo connectivity programme. Halo, the largest and most ambitious of these solutions, aims to solve a vertical level difference of over 40m between the lower and upper parts of the city. The new structure will connect neighbourhoods as well as provide access to the public square located on the rooftop of the intermodal high-speed railway train, that includes bus station, car parking and a shopping mall. The footbridge crosses over the highway, the main access point to the city, over a horizontal separation above 70m in length.
The main elements of the Halo structure are an elevator shaft tower and a footbridge with a diameter of 84 meters. The tower stands on the top of Serafin Avendaño Street, pointing the street's axis and attracting the attention of the citizens in the maritime port area. The tower, with approximately 6 x 6 meters, to host two elevators, each with a capacity of 17 people.
At the top of the tower, the pedestrian access to the Thom Mayne’s intermodal station was divided into two arches, forming the ring. Each arch is supported on either side of the glass volume of the panoramic central atrium, emerging from the Morphosis building.
The northern promenade is covered and protected along its entire outer face, providing comfort for citizens' traffic throughout the year. It is less transparent and not so panoramic. The milky translucency of its glass protection surface ensures privacy for the residences in the towers of Calle Garcia Barbón. The western arch is an open-air walkway offering panoramic views over the city and of the ocean, making it more appealing to tourists.

The Halo is not just an architectural or engineering ambition. Form follows function. Halo is the result of its innovative approach: making mobility accessible to everyone in a concept of eco-city, promoting social inclusion; urban cohesion; reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing the landscape.

The Halo born from the more urgent global concerns and as a response to the city's social problems. The answer to the new challenges of urban planning lies in collective infrastructures rather than individual mobility solutions dependent on energy consumption, especially fossil fuels.

The Halo means a paradigm shift in VIGO. It means new and healthier routines: walking outdoors on a privileged panoramic situation. The upper and lower parts of the city, previously separated by a highway that forced the use of cars, are now connected by a 3-minute walk. The reduction in car traffic was immediate, as was the reduction in traffic conflicts. This also reduces carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The city becomes more cohesive, raising the standard of the most disadvantaged areas. The increase in property values was noticeable, leading to a desire for property renovation. The Halo means mobility for everyone, regardless of social status or physical condition.

With the Halo's construction, the city embraced a sense of unity and focus on important issues. The circular walkway, elevated and separated from the urban landscape, has revealed Vigo's stunning coastal views to its residents. People now feel closer to nature. The design turned a simple urban elevator into a tourist attraction. From the upper levet the tourists can read and understand the urban and the natural landscape of the city.

The energy consumption of the elevators was also a focus of our concern. Halo has two wind turbines that power the elevators during the day and the lights at night.

The panoramic urban elevators are among the select group of public facilities that reshape the city's image. Beyond representing civilizational progress in the daily lives of people by enhancing accessibility, social inclusion and environmental contribution.
The panoramic elevators also serve as landmarks and symbols of collective identity.
Who can imagine Lisbon downtown without the Santa Justa elevator? Or Salvador da Bahia without the majestic of the Lacerda elevator?
These objects are apart from architectural vocabulary. Much more than being part of the city's architecture, they are primarily constructions, structures, and technological prodigies.
This project is the result of a collaborative integrated effort to merge architecture and structure into a single sculptural object. The circular footbridge is meant not to be only a crossing connection over an obstacle, but also a promenade and a viewing platform over the city and the estuary.
The circular shape is mainly a reaction to architect Thom Maine’s design for the intermodal complex: the station’s large façade features a central axis to which the new access footbridge connects naturally.
Lighting also plays a crucial role in the HALO's design. As a luminous object, it functions as a contemporary maritime lighthouse, contributing to urban safety. Halo uses LED lines technology integrated into the footbridge railings and integrated scenic projectors illuminating the glass facades.
Energy consumption for night lighting and elevator movement is reduced by installation of two wind turbines in the secondary piers of the footbridge. Each one has a 4 kW power and 5 m height and 3.1 m diameter.
HALO opened in Vigo, on February 16th 2024, only after only 18 months of construction works. The infrastructure was welcomed by the citizens eager enjoy this long-awaited new urban element for the city with over 25.000 visits only after a few days after the opening.

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Arenas & Asociados

Miguel Sacristán Montesinos

am2

Alexandre Mouriño

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