Bridge Suchdol

In collaboration with ABTSMOLEN, we have created a competition design for a new road bridge across the Vltava Valley connecting the banks of Suchdol and Březiněves as part of the D0 Prague Ring Road.

The bridge’s DNA reflects the character of Prague’s arched bridges, although its design accounts for significantly larger spans and loads. The road bridge—that is, the viaduct in the landscape—has a deep tradition in the history of civil engineering. The harmony of the horizontal traffic route, supported by the rhythm of the arches, with the landscape is evident, in contrast to contemporary orthogonal highway bridges of the “support + lintel” type. We designed the bridge to create a harmonious image of a viaduct within the landscape. The arch is the optimal structural form for spanning larger spans across deep valleys; it combines not only its natural beauty and charm but also the efficient use of materials. As a structure subjected primarily to compressive stress, the arch is thus ideally suited for use with a material that is naturally resistant to compression—which concrete undoubtedly is.