zwarts & jansma: landshape

‘landshape’ by zwarts & jansma all images courtesy zwarts & jansma

dutch architectural firm zwarts & jansma has been selected as one of the five finalists for a next generation wildlife crossing at west vail pass, colorado. the competition is intended to solve the problem of ensuring safe travel for humans and wildlife. collisions between vehicles and wildlife have increased by 50 percent in the past 15 years threatening human and wildlife safety, and costing americans 8 billion US dollars annually.

‘landshape’ combines the natural and human dominated worlds of the west vail pass. it reconnects landscapes with a charismatic wildlife that depends on the place.

three curves connect both parts of the valley split by the interstate 70. the first curve is the actual bridge; the second curve is the ground level that advances over the bridge that transforms from mature forest to shrubs on the centre of the bridge itself. the third curve is the continuation of the natural vegetation over the bridge.

prolonging the landscape trademark,’curves’ are the main organizing elements for the architecture of the load bearing structure itself. in the cross section the curve ‘contains’ the landscape and the wildlife that overpasses. in a longitudinal direction a curve carries the over passing landscape and wildlife.

these two main organizing curves are combined to a double curved surface from which a thin shell structure is generated. this ‘ideal’ symmetrical surface combined with the non symmetrical geo contours derived from the sites topology and morphology generates a form which is sensitive, at the same time follows the natural curves of the forces – which creates ‘landshape’.

‘landshape’

longitudinal section

exploded view

structural concept