Pasarela del Arganzuela, Madrid, Spain
Posted
10/5/2011
Described by inhabitants as being on the threshold of heaven,
Madrid is rich in culture, art and atmosphere. The completion of
one of the largest construction projects in Madrid's history
underlines the heavenly reputation of the metropolis. Free from the
noise and smell of the busy city highway, which was completely
banished underground, both banks of the Rio Manzanares were
transformed into picturesque parks and promenades.
The Pasarela del Arganzuela-a footbridge designed by France's
star architect, Dominique Perrault-is at the heart of this green
idyll. The tapering conical forms on both sides of the bridge are
wrapped in stainless steel Escale mesh from Cambridge, Md.-based
GKD Metal Fabrics, to create a shimmering helix. Similar to a
textile ribbon, the metal mesh surrounds the bridge from end to end
in a spiral design. This helix, which gleams silver in the
sunlight, is a metaphor for the increasingly close association
between the two parts of the city separated by the Manzanares. At
night, it is transformed by backlighting into a golden spiral,
floating mysteriously above the river.
Two years ago Madrid celebrated the opening of the Centro
Deportivo Multifuncional del Manzanares with its spectacular Caja
Magica. With the 820-foot Arganzuela Bridge, Perrault created a
crossing for pedestrians and cyclists and an iconic structure for
the Manzanares Park. Rather than a single compact structure,
Perrault designed a selfsupporting steel structure in two sections,
tapering to cones at its outer ends. Pillars at the sides underline
the impression of a floating link between the two banks. The two
spiral-wrapped sections-492 and 420 feet long-extend well into the
park, meeting in the center on a platform. Forming the park
entrance, it is a visible sign of the merging of the two parts of
the inner city.
The helical form of the envelope creates the unmistakable
character of the bridge. The helix is a universally accepted symbol
of stability and growth, and in its double form, the symbol of life
itself. The Arganzuela Bridge is a systematic extension of this
idea. In this case, the unusual design symbolizes the exchange with
the natural world around it as well. The concept's realization is
made possible by the decoratively draped skin of semi-transparent
metal mesh, which links inside and outside, and creates different
impressions depending on the viewer's perspective. At the same time
it permits natural illumination and a sense of airiness on the
bridge. The spiral-shaped wrap is designed so that an open section
on one side is always opposite a mesh-wrapped section on the other,
allowing passers-by a view into the surrounding landscape at all
times and preventing gusts of wind from making the bridge
impassable.
To create this architectonic idea, the wrapping of the
Arganzuela Bridge used 48,420 square feet of the Escale metal mesh.
The structure's conical form and the mesh's 2-D curvature
determined by the design posed unique challenges for the
manufacturing subsidiary. The solution was 64 individually formed
triangular mesh sections, each adjusted to fit the sub-structure-30
for the northern and 34 for the southern half of the helix.
Assembling the finished mesh panels also required high precision
work due to its size and triangular shape. To achieve the required
tension, each mesh triangle was mounted by crane from top to bottom
with precisely defined bending in vertical and horizontal
directions. Because of the complex form of the bridge, a widely
proven fixing technique using eye bolts was adapted to the design
requirements.
The finished bridge owes its charm to the special aesthetic of
the spiral mesh, which reinforces the impression of a delicately
draped material. On the inside of the bridge the softly dappled
light creates a pleasant atmosphere. When it is dark, the woven
helix is backlit by standing lamp fixtures invisible from the
outside, transformed into a golden ribbon.
A deciding factor for Perrault in selecting the material was the
functionality of the Escale mesh. The inherent advantages of
stainless steel-which makes the Escale mesh easy to maintain and
resistant to severe weather or environmental impacts- results in a
virtually unlimited life space, giving little burden to the city's
budget, already heavily strained by the rerouting of the highways
and the design of the parks. What results is a structure that will
stand the test of time, unifying two long-separated sections of the
city in a harmony of architecture, design and functionality
GKD-USA Inc.,
www.gkdmetalfabrics.com