Denmark - International architects win bridge projects
 

International architects win bridge projects

http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/article814033.ece

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British and French architects have won the competition to build bridges in Copenhagen

Several firms of international architects have won the competition to build light bridges in Copenhagen that are designed to link the Opera House to other parts of the capital. The longest will run from Nyhavn to Christianshavn, while others will cross the canals.

Flint and Neill of Britain and Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes of France have now been appointed by Copenhagen Council, with Flint and Neill as overall consultants for the longest bridge, while the three other bridges will be built with assistance from the French firm. The projects are being financed by the A.P. Møller Foundation.

Criticism

Plans to build bridges in the area have met heavy criticism from those living in Christianshavn, who are afraid that the bridges will have a detrimental affect on the characteristic maritime environment of the quarter and that the bridges will mean that sailing boats will no longer have access to the area.

The Council has rejected the criticism, saying the bridges will be able to be opened.

Council

“We know that Copenhageners like bridges and I am sure that A.P.Møller’s gift will be well-received by the thousands of cyclists and pedestrians who will be crossing the bridges,” says Copenhagen Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard (SocDem).

Environment and Technical Mayor Klaus Bondam (SocLib) is equally enthusiastic.

“We want to create more activity in and around the harbour and this is definitely a step in the right direction,” Bondam says of the bridge projects.

Judges

The judges in the bridge competition say they chose the projects as they fit well into the local surroundings on both sides of the harbour and because they have a special opening mechanism to allow vessels to pass through.

The three smaller bridges are praised for their ease of operation and maintenance and their unobtrusive nature.

Welcome to NIMBY land where even a bike and pedestrian bridge is seen as the devil :rolleyes:

Personally I love the idea of more bridges, especially in that area where the small islands ( man made ) are very isolated due to their military past..

And the design is great too - so I hope the NIMBY's will lose this one! :)


They will have a limiting effect on the boats and ships movement in the area, no way of getting around that, but as that is a minority compared to the many people who bike or walk I think they will have to accept that, it's not like the canals are shut completely off or anything..