santiago calatrava: peace bridge in calgary, canada

‘peace bridge’ by santiago calatrava, calgary, canada image © ian harding photography all photographs courtesy of ian harding photography all renderings courtesy of santiago calatrava

the city of calgary in canada has welcomed its newest addition spanning the bow river, the peace bridge by valencian architect and engineer santiago calatrava. the single span helical footbridge gently arcs across the water, sheltering users with a glass roof along its 126 meter length. adjacent to the prince’s island park in the downtown district, the structure will provide pedestrians and cyclists with connecting routes between the urban center and memorial drive. pathways defined with curbs separate modes of movement, allowing bicycles to maneuver safely within a central bike lane and foot traffic travels along the elevated sidewalks placed on either side.

calgarians using their bridge for the first time image © ian harding photography

in calatrava‘s design, the rounded cross section of the cover and platform is generated mathematically with two clearly defined tangential radii to create an internal and experiential space. formed by the criss-crossing of the steel exterior leaves openings which have been selectively screened with a fritted glazed panel to protect form rain and snow. pigmented a vibrant red, the framework generates a landmark presence for the area, accenting the trees and grass-covered landscape, especially during autumnal foliage. linear lighting is integrated into the structure and handrail, producing a downward way-finding illumination. its delicate presence is reflected within the water below.

separated pedestrian and bicycle paths image © ian harding photography

aerial rendered view image © santiago calatrava

side view of the bridge with the downtown beyond image © santiago calatrava

accented by the autumnal foliage image © santiago calatrava

bridge deck image © santiago calatrava

bridge deck at night image © santiago calatrava

illuminated at night image © santiago calatrava

project info:

length of bridge: 126 m total width: 8 m total height: 5.85 m width bet. handrails: 6.2 m (3.7m pedestrian zone, 2.5m cycle way)