suppose design office: heiwa ohashi pedestrian bridge proposal

heiwa-ohashi pedestrian bridge proposal by suppose design office
image courtesy suppose design office

this is suppose design offices’ proposal for a pedestrian bridge in hiroshima.

many rivers flow to the hiroshima delta, and the green areas there on the riversides
are one representative of the city’s post-war reconstruction. between the rivers
the peace memorial park and peace boulevard make up the center of hiroshima,
and the area is an irreplaceable and symbolic world heritage site.

in making plans for maintenance on one pedestrian bridge, before building the firm 
researched what role this bridge served during and after the war, and how it had been
thought of, they discussed at length what new role it should have apart from just
being a walkway.

after absorbing the wisdom of isamu noguchi, kenzou tange, and others who in
the past had been so strongly associated with this area, they decided that it should be
a ‘bridge of education.’

compared with the strong presence of the peace bridge they wanted to create a pedestrian
bridge with a weak presence (like a supporting role) and make it a bridge that elevates
the presence and allure of isamu noguchi’s peace bridge. by effectively using the designated
bridge site, they created this supporting role bridge with thin and light girders. by devising
unprecedented hybrid construction, they made a 30cm thick ‘bridge without presence’
a reality.

the thinness of the bridge opens up the view of the river, peace bridge, and the surrounding
peace memorial park; and the vibrations as people walk across and the feel of the wood
give a feeling of ‘crossing’ to pedestrians that cannot normally be found in the city.
the bridge of education is not just a means of crossing a river, but a place to think about
the river and the bridge and for transporting people and precious feelings.

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

image courtesy suppose design office

the bridge was based around the popular string game cat’s cradle