Berlin Bridge | Kallikratis Evlogimenos

The site is located in the area between the Schilling Bridge (Schillingbrucke) and the Oberbaum Bridge (Oberbaumbrucke) of Spree River in Berlin. A number of recreational facilities in the east bank of the river increase the demand for pedestrian and cyclist movement at the location of the proposed bridge. The previous bridge that could be found at the same location, Brommy Bridge (Brommybrucke) was destroyed during the second world-war. The only part of the bridge that remains until today is the lower supporting structure that raises few meters above the river level. The core design intention was to create an Iconic Pedestrian Bridge that would serve as a distinctive landmark to the area, with an elegant form that would differentiate itself from the existing bridges not only in Berlin, but also in the world in general. The final form is the outcome of the combined considerations on form, aesthetics, movement, and the qualitative characteristics of the location of the bridge. As the form of the building has emerged to a high degree from the topology of the site and its characteristics, as well as from movement needs and the desired circulation flow, the final design is site specific and a presumable change on the location of the bridge would ultimately affect the bridge form. Structure The design challenges the existing notions and paradigms of bridges. The concept of the main structure is based on suspension type bridges. However, the main cables, the towers and the anchors are unified in continuous “strip form” structures. Two concrete strips rise from each bank of the river, curl up towards each other almost 40 meters above the river level and descend crosswise above the river as they join half way from the two banks, 6 meters above the river level. Vertical suspender cables are also used to support the curved main deck of the bridge. One of the two strips of the west bank ends up on ramps on both ends. Access and Circulation Pedestrian and Cycling The access to the bridge has been organized on three different “levels” on the east side, while on the west bank there is a single point of access. The first point of access on the east is through a bridge over Muhlenstrasse Street to provide an interrupted pedestrian and cycling movement. The second point of access and the main one is from the sidewalk by the Berlin Wall. The third point is on the lower level of the east bank by the river. The bike lane has been placed on the south side of the bridge deck. Relaxation Points there are several relaxation points designated on both sides of the bridge deck, as well as on the platform by the remaining structure of the previous bridge and on the east bank by the river