Motril Footbridge | Guallart Architects

Motril Footbridge | Guallart Architects
This organic, yet recognizably geometric bridge is yet another example of structure in defiance of commonality. It is not contractors and steel manufacturers who make structure- it is nature and physics and the geometries resulting from the meshing of the two. Manufacturers make types of structures, but it is ultimately at the architect’s discretion as to whether or not to use the default. Because that’s exactly what the typical steel planar truss is, a default.

The Motril Footbridge by Guallart Architects, located in Motril, Spain- incorporates ‘folded’ steel of varying thicknesses depending on local circumstances. The geometries are computer controlled (I hesitate to say generated because I feel that on some level denies the involvement of a human) through parametric software and scripting. The ‘folded’ surfaces take the form of multiple ‘corrugated’ trusses which create a trussing of sorts in plan as well as the clear trussing in elevation. In section the bridge can be understood as a 4-facetted bowl. This geometry resist bending, stiffening the bridge and allowing only one tree-like column to be used to ground the structure to the street 5 meters below.

Set into the top side of the structure, are opaque surfaces which fill in the truss clearances and provide a traversable path for pedestrians. Running along the intersection between these surfaces and the trusses which fold up to become handrails, are LED strips lights which provide a ghostly glow to the walk at night. Within the handrail trusses, the clearances are infilled with glass plate, providing highlighted expression to the sculpturally conceived custom trusses.

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