Axel Vansteenkiste — Architecture
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023 — Pedestrian & Cyclist Bridge, Lillestrøm, 2021, competition entry i.c.w. Niklas Nordström.

The proposal for a mass-timber bridge pragmatically reduces the design to its minimum components: 2 piers and 3 equal spans. The spans consist of 3 identical prefabricated mass-timber sections, their dimensions defined by fabrication and transport constraints, 2 run horizontal and one is sloped in order to negotiate the terrain. Zinc cladding protects the structural timber from the elements and blends its color with the surrounding. Two large concrete piers limit the number of supports in the sensitive adjacent wetland and simultaneously allow access to the waterfront and the river for summertime leisure and swimming. The staggered placement of the 3 spans on the piers creates two interruptions of the pedestrian flow on the bridge, allowing access to the piers, and perhaps a moment to stop and enjoy the view.