Bridge of Sighs | Mei architects and planners

Our client already occupied a refined and stylish listed building in Schiedam and bought the adjoining monumental warehouse. The top floor of both buildings would be used for residential purposes. Therefor the client asked Mei architects and planners to construct a connecting bridge. This is a complex challenge, owing to the difficulty of bridging the height difference, the demands that come with working on a listed structure, and the need for privacy. The design proposal was immediately and enthusiastically received by the municipal design review committee for new building permits and monuments. In our proposal we articulated the addition as a new layer of time. Mei succeeded in strengthening the value of the buildings by respecting and preserving their existing character.

The new bridge, a self-supporting structure of steel and glass, is faced in white, perforated steel panels. Refined, abstract 3D motifs that refer to the original cast-iron ornaments of the balconies of the listed building are incorporated into the panels by means of rubber presses. To ensure the privacy of the occupants, what happens inside cannot be seen from outside. But the occupants do enjoy views out of the building.

The design is measured by means of a point cloud and then the 3D-BIM model is elaborated on this scanned base layer. The bridge is reversible to allow future owners to remove it if desired. The warehouse can also be restored to its original condition because the openings made in the facade for the bridge have the same proportions as the original window frames.