The steel structure of Hans Wilsdorf's bridge is composed of interlaced elliptic rings and linear elements. An expressive and elegant shape that is not just a link between the two river banks but a true experience for those who cross the river Arve.
Reinterpreting a traditional truss bridge, the structure has a longitudinal profile that describes a slight bow spanning 85.4m without intermediate supports. Its shape is the result of a long architectural and structural research that endeavoured to find a rational and cost effective construction, despite the randomness in appearance.
The metal structure forms a large tube 8.5 meters high that criss-crosses a prestressed concrete deck. The envelope is composed of different types of elements: three lower square sections, two entrance 'gates', two upper longitudinal sections, two main arcs, elliptical rings and three wraparound curves.
Between the two ends of the bridge, two types of elliptical rings are distributed symmetrically all along the structure. More than 250 section parameters were entered into a computer program in order to ensure strict compliance with the geometry.
With its 15.5 meter wide deck, the bridge comprises two traffic lanes and
two separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists. Its generous dimensions flow from the desire to promote low-impact public mobility as well as integration into the surrounding neighbourhood.
At night the project turns into a work of art. The red light that illuminates the interior, combined with the bluish-white tints of the exterior, creates a chromatic duality reminiscent of an alpine landscape at dawn or at dusk.
All the structural and aesthetic qualities of the Hans-Wilsdorf bridge earned it a nomination for the 'European steel construction award of 2013'
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