Boezem bridge Halfweg

major reconstruction

The N200 main road between the Dutch cities of Haarlem and Amsterdam has been thouroughly reconstructed over the past two years. In the village of Halfweg, located halfway in between the two large cities, the existing set of bridges bearing the name Boezembrug (Boezem bridge) had to be replaced. We were commissioned to (co)create the preliminary design. The main goal was to design a bridge that would befit the village feel of the location and would add recreational value.

viewpoint

Our starting point was the existing concept design, made by one of the cities involved. Given the pretty location, with historical lock gates on one side and a canal and steam pumping station on the other, we decided to integrate a large bench into the bridge design. It is situated in one of the bridge’s curves and creates a natural divide between the cycling path and the spacious, lowered sidewalk.

cantilevered sidewalk

The main bridge is comprised of prefabricatd concrete elements. The cantilevered sidewalk has a lightweight steel structure, which has been covered in composite and aluminum sheeting. This allows for a low-maintenance bridge edge.