Robertsfors
Minimalist bridge highlights the landscape
Trafikverket picked the ‘Genius Loci’ proposal as winner in the design competition for a major rail bridge to suit the landscape of a popular recreational area of northern Sweden.
- Location
- Robertsfors, Sweden
- Category
- Public Spaces and Stations, Road Bridges and Tunnels
- Year
- 2022 - Under Construction
- Client
- Trafikverket
- Collaborators
- Peter Becht / COWI
The 840-meter-long bridge respects the valuable natural and
cultural landscape through Robertsfors. At the same time, the
understated design has a minimal climate footprint. Properties that
have won resonance with the Swedish jury.Genius Loci translates to "the special spirit of the place". Together with engineer COWI and landscape architect Peter Becht, Dissing+Weitling won in 2022 with a ”stylish and unpretentious”bridge solution that puts nature and the landscape at the center.
The bridge is being built in a pastoral idyll, which calls for a respectful design. In its assessment, the jury emphasized that the design allows the
landscape – and not the bridge itself – to stand out.All bridge elements are assessed in relation to the surroundings – materials, details and light – including the meeting between the station, golf course and other natural landscape. The jury also emphasizes how the bridge’s span division provides recreational opportunities under the bridge and a good view of the Robertsfors mill.
Discreet lighting avoids light pollution in a beautiful landscape. The winning proposal is a stylish, low-key design which highlights the landscape. From a distance, the bridge is perceived as a horizontal line through the open landscape.
The slender bridge girder is slightly raised from the slightly conical supports and contributes to the perceived lightness of the bridge.
The jury's opinion can be read at Sveriges Arkitekter (in Swedish).