Building Bridges

When WXY Architecture + Urban Design won a competition to replace the lackluster structure over the Nanhe River, principals Claire Weisz and Mark Yoes decided to go with a simple solution to the complex problem of form.

Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 3/1/2011 4:34:00 PM

A relatively scenic satellite of Chengdu, China, the city of Xinjin was nevertheless home to a rather pedestrian-looking pedestrian bridge. When WXY Architecture + Urban Design won a competition to replace the lackluster structure over the Nanhe River, principals Claire Weisz and Mark Yoes decided to go with a simple solution to the complex problem of form. The bridge's 700-foot span will consist of two ribbonlike decks that intertwine to form five loops symbolizing the five rivers that converge nearby. More specifically, the design will boast stainless-steel handrails, walkways coated in a pedestrian-friendly resin-gravel composite, and marine-grade paint in a striking shade of Chinese red. (What else?) On completion in 2012, LEDs will illuminate the structure. It promises to double the capacity of the existing­ bridge, thereby encouraging Xinjin's population of 300,000 to cross the Nanhe on foot-a key weapon in the fight against China's increasingly congested urban areas.