The Living Bridge
The Living Bridge is a project designed by Aalborg University architecture students Mathias Kræmmergaard Kristensen and Christian Raun Jepsen (Supervisors consisted of Jens Klitgaard, Poul Henning Kirkegaard). The construction and design of bridges is constantly changing as architects push the structural limits of what we already know to work and try to solve the same problem but in a more creative way. Originally bridges were very simple structures built from accessible natural resources and could only span short distances, however as technology grew along with our knowledge of materials there are now truss bridges, arch bridges, suspension bridges, and cable bridges.
To expand exploration into bridges and their construction, the Aalborg University students designed the Living Bridge to test methods of parametric design and digital/analogue form-finding. By questioning the structural, experimental, and functional variability of bridges through the use of parametric tools, a model could be analyzed and adapted in accordance to selected criteria. The end result discovers new possibilities in associative geometry and the building of structures, functions, and materials that can be used in other architecture projects, not just a bridge.
Besides the exploration using parametric tools, the bridge is designed with the user in mind. The bridge is designed to connect the two shores of the Limfjord seaway in Denmark and for light traffic use. It introduces a visual direction to the area while imposing a spatial statement to be followed. Instead of limiting the flow of pedestrians to a single route across the bridge, the design features several paths to create diverse experiences. The paths converge and connect at points along the bridge at different rooms encouraging the users to design their own crossing scenario.
By: Kristin Hoover
Maiar Mansour is an editor at Arch2O with a unique lens shaped by her background in architecture, visual arts, and human-centered design. A graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maiar discovered her passion for UI/UX through civil society work, storytelling workshops, and freelance design for arts events. Her editorial approach blends emotional intelligence with a strong visual sensibility, guided by a belief in storytelling and design coherence. With training from ITI and Udacity and hands-on experience as a UI/UX designer, she brings fresh perspectives on how environments shape human behavior, emotion, and interaction in design.