FOOT AND BICYCLE BRIDGE ALBI

Programme: Complete mission for architectural and structural design. Urban planning together with MS-A.

About: On the outskirts of the Episcopal City of Albi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the new pedestrian and bicycle link along the railway viaduct improves the connectivity between the neighbourhoods of Castelviel and Pratgraussal. On the city center side, the abutment is placed under the first arch which creates a link between the Castle square and Calvaire square, restoring coherence to the city as a whole. The bridge is cantilevered from the downstream face of the viaduct. The metal box girder widens under each arch of the existing viaduct to create new real vantage points offering previously unseen views on Albi, the Tarn and its banks.
The structure consists of a triangular metal box section which widens to form viewing points, where a bench invites the wanderer to make a break. The slenderness, the clear, pastel-blue glossy underside and the filigree stainless steel railing all impart a feeling of intangibility and evanescence, interacting with the massiveness and rationality of the viaduct. While the existing viaduct is enhanced by low lighting from the cornice and the arch springing, the walkway is lit by spotlights attached to the bridge, in a manner that highlights its users as actors on a stage.