Footbridge Awards
Madrid Architects’ Association Headquarters (COAM)
07 September 2022
#footbridge2022
The winners of the 2020 Footbridge Awards were revealed during the postponed triennial international footbridge conference that took place in September 2022 in Madrid. A digital version of the awards brochure containing details of all the winners and highly-commended entries is available by clicking here.
Winner: Trumpf Bridge, Ditzingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
“This is a technically excellent design, bringing together conceptual rigour and imagination with the exemplary use of the latest fabrication technologies.
The concept is for a form-found, thin-shell structure, familiar from numerous examples of spectacular 20th century roof structures.
Applying this approach to bridge construction is a real challenge that has been met head-on.”
Photo: SBP/Andreas Schnubel
Commissioning authority: Trumpf GmbH + Co KG
Principal designer: schlaich bergermann partner
Architect/structural engineer: schlaich bergermann partner
Principal contractor: Franz Prebeck GmbH & Co. KG
Others (Architectural consultancy): Barkow Leibinger
Knostrop Bridge, Leeds, UK
Commissioning authority: Leeds City Council, Environment Agency
Principal designer: Knight Architects
Structural engineer: Mott MacDonald
Principal contractor: BAM Nuttall
Steel fabricator: SH Structures
Bridge over the Dřetovice stream, Kladno-Vrapice, Bohemia, Czech Republic
(Photo: BoysPlayNice)
Commissioning authority: Kladno
Principal designer: Klokner Institute in Prague
Architect/structural engineer: Aoc architects
Principal contractor: KŠ Prefa Štetí
Winner: Sofiero Footbridge, Helsingborg, Sweden
“The most remarkable feature of the bridge is the transparency of its shapes, which make the crossing an elegant and well-integrated structure.”
“Its ultra-slender design minimises both visual and physical impact on the site.”
“Worthy of mention is the extradosed underslung cable, which plays an important role in the structure but which is almost hidden within the environment.”
Commissioning authority: Helsingborg Stad
Principal designer: Dissing+Weitling
Structural engineer: schlaich bergermann partner
Principal contractor: Bladt Industries - Infrastructure
Landscaping: Becht
Taplow Footbridge, Taplow, Buckinghamshire, UK
Commissioning authority: Berkeley Homes (Oxford & Chiltern)
Principal designer: Knight Architects
Structural engineer: COWI
Principal contractor: Land & Water
Steel fabricator: SH Structures
Winner: Tintagel Castle Bridge, Cornwall, UK
“This is a bridge of breathtaking delicacy. The jury recognised that it requires exceptional effort to make something appear so effortless, and the judges were impressed by the design in context as well as the detail that contributes to its slender demeanour.
“Whilst the much-vaunted centre gap is, like Arthurian legend, more narrative than clear fact, it adds grit to the tourist experience that one imagines is not entirely necessary given the thrill of being held high above the ravine so nonchalantly.”
(Photo: Ney & Partners - William Matthews Associates/Hufton+Crow)
Commissioning authority: English Heritage
Principal designer: Ney & Partners, William Matthews Associates
Structural engineer: Ney & Partners
Principal contractor: American Bridge UK
Ortenau Bridge, Lahr, Germany
(Photo: Oliver Kern)
Commissioning authority: Stadt Lahr
Principal designer: EiSat Engineered Structures
Architect: Henchion Reuter Architekten
Principal contractor: Arge Meurer-Bau
Winner: Lille Langebro, Copenhagen, Denmark
"We were united in our assessment of the winning bridge as a high-quality example of footbridge design which manages to convey an impression of its sinuous and delicate form despite its unusually large size."
"The ability of the deck to move comes as a delightful surprise, since the opening mechanism is successfully integrated into the curved form. The structure looks good both open and closed, and when open it creates lovely ship-like structures in the middle of the waterway."
Commissioning authority: Realdania By & Byg
Principal designer: Wilkinson Eyre
Structural engineer: Buro Happold
Principal contractor: JV Mobilis Danmark – Hollandia Infra
Bio-based composite movable bicycle bridge, Ritsumasyl, the Netherlands
Commissioning authority: Province of Fryslân
Principal designer: Delft Infra Composites/Sweco- Witteveen+Bos/Antea Group
Architect: Quist Wintermans Architekten
Principal contractor: Strukton Civiel Noord-Oost
Winner: Pedestrian and cycle footbridge under the Pont Adolphe, Luxembourg
"The jury were smitten by the originality of this project, which was initially entered only into the long-span category."
"The jury was impressed with its detail, slenderness and choice of structural system. The judges were struck by the ingenuity displayed in creating a great space for users that did not detract from the existing historic structure."
Commissioning authority: MDDI – Administration des Ponts & Chaussées
Principal designer: CBA Architects
Structural engineer: Inca
Principal contractor: Soludec
SACEM bridge enlargement Villabona/Oria, Spain
Commissioning authority: Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa
Principal designer & structural engineer: Anta Ingeniería Civil
Principal contractor: Altuna y Uria
Winner: Spitalsteg Bridge, Germany
"The judges praised the use of white light to contrast against the local sodium lighting. They admired the restraint that this design demonstrates - a simple solution that nonetheless creates a playful and interesting visual experience for the user as well as the observer."
(Photo: Conné van d'Grachten)
Commissioning authority: Stadt Riedlingen
Principal designer & structural engineer: schlaich bergermann partner
Principal contractor: Franz Prebeck & Co