Submission #30 CLOSE

Saucier Perrotte Architects (Montreal)

The bridge, rather than being envisioned as a simple span between Calgaryís North and South Banks, has been conceived as actually emerging from St. Patrickís Island.† The point where the bridge touches down at the tip of the Island is in fact the point from which it springs, a fulcrum ó structurally, conceptually, and literally ó a juncture where people traversing the bridge will enter the Island.† This center point acts like a tendon, grounding the bridge as its arms extend toward both banks.

The center point, from which the bridge springs and extends to each side, is a knot that solidly binds each arm together.† As it twists in form, this node allows passersby to exit the bridge on the east side to visit the Island or to take advantage of the belvedere that projects off the west side, where they may take a moment to pause and enjoy the dramatic vista along the Bow River back to downtown Calgary.

As perceived by the eye, the bridge appears as a striking object due to its unique gradient of light.† As it catches and filters light when seen from various angles, the bridge is perceived as constantly changing, never static.† At the two ends, its envelope is denser and darker with small openings and perforations for light.† As one moves toward the center junction, where it is anchored to St- Patrick’s Island, the perforations in the glass skin become more frequent and the gradient becomes increasingly transparent, giving the bridge a more porous, ephemeral quality.

The exterior cladding for the bridge is principally glass with a fritted gradient pattern, perforated throughout along the sides to allow for natural ventilation.† As the bridge become more transparent and bright toward the center, the perforations become more frequent, and the fritting less dense.† To provide shelter and adequate protection for users, there are no perforations in the roof membrane.† Instead, overhead lighting is integrated into the superstructure to provide light at night.† Under the steel and concrete decking, lighting has also been integrated to shine upward onto the interior walls as well as to illuminate the portion under the decking.† To express purity of form and the movement through space, the bridge’s cylindrical shape allows its steel structure to be acknowledged yet to remain mostly concealed within the outer shell.

As the luminous thread of the bridge darts and shifts across the river, the light levels through particular perforations seem at some moments to flare, in other instances to blur.† The lighting, much of which will be indirect ó to permit a pleasant and never harsh atmosphere ó will permeate the perforations of the membrane.† The distinct quality of form and light of this landmark bridge will indeed become an immediately recognizable, integral signature of Calgaryís urban design.

Back to top