Wyldehoarne bicycle bridge

end-of-life existing bridge

An iconic and unusual bicycle and pedestrian bridge connecting two residential areas in the Dutch town of Joure was in such a state that it needed to be either seriously refurbished or completely replaced. Locals preferred refurbishment, but that proved too costly. An new copy of the existing bridge within the available budget wasn’t feasible either. We therefore joint forces with client and locals to explore the design options for a completely new bridge. We came up with a design that combines the best parts of the old bridge with a long lifespan and a reasonable price tag.

iconic bridge

For cyclists and pedestrians, the bridge is the only connection across the water between the two residential areas. The existing route was this: a short bridge, a longitudinal grassy island, the 70-metre long iconic bridge, another longitudinal island and another short bridge. Designing a new bridge, created the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at this overall route design as well, which is what we did.

waterside appeal

The relatively high islands obstructed clear views across the lake. In addition, the islands were slowly eroding along the shore. We opted for lower, less wide islands that focus mainly on experiencing the nearby water. We removed one of the short bridges altogether and replaced the other one with a concrete culvert bridge. Furthermore, we seriously reduced the main span of the new steel bicycle bridge and designed a simple bridge with two sculptural vertical elements, one of either side. These origami-like structures pay homage to the previous bridge’s structural design. The main span is now only 31 metres.

bridge design

The bridge design itself is straightforward and clean: a steel structure with a fibre composite deck. The 1.3 m high railings are connected to the bridge’s steel edge beam and is as transparent as possible. The bicycle path on both islands is made of roughened up concrete. The choice of materials make both path, bridge and sculptural elements low maintenance.

embankments

The width and layout of the islands/embankments is designed to be appealing and create a sense of safety for both cyclists and pedestrians. The path for example is only slightly above the water surface and has a sizeable section of grass on either side. The embankments are covered in grass and flowers, with the occasional group of sand coloured rocks, creating an pleasant overall appeal.

specifications

completion: 2024