The winning design of the new St. Patrick’s Bridge is by RFR of France and Halsall of Calgary (RFR Halsall). It is the result of an international design competition that attracted 33 unique submissions. The public commented on the designs and an advisory committee struck by CMLC made the final choice on March 16th, 2010.
Many have commented that the bridge design reminds them of a stone skipping across the river, or an arch of clouds in the Calgary sky. The rhythm of the continuous arches is aligned with the river channels and the island, giving visual cues to pedestrians that are synchronized with the surrounding environment. Over each river channel, the arches are located overhead of pedestrians, giving a feeling of a partially enclosed deck. On the island, however, the arch structure remains below the deck, helping those crossing the bridge feel more connected to the island’s setting.
The goal of the design was to have as little structure as possible in the river channel, contributing to the bridge’s physical robustness, and improving its resistance to floods and ice flows. The design also leaves the river corridor open, contributing to an uncluttered viewpoint from the riverside pathways and river craft.