Austin, Texas, Pedestrian Bridge The judges were unsure if this footbridge was a detail, an accessory structure, or an outdoor feature. But they were moved by the poetic response to a beautiful natural setting.
Built to connect the main house with a new guesthouse across an internal lagoon, the bridge resonates with its environment and adds a romantic dimension to the setting. The idea behind the bridge was that “it would kind of disappear and that the vertical lines would be a continuation of the reeds on the shore,” explains architect Miguel Rivera. “It’s a simple idea that came from the site.”
That simplicity is matched by a stark palette of components: Five nested metal pipes, 5 inches in diameter and 100 feet long, arch across the 80-foot-wide waterway. They carry decking and railings made of ½-inch bent rebar cut to irregular lengths and closely spaced to mimic the reeds. A rope handrail is secured with steel wire rings to a horizontal tube welded to the vertical bars. At the abutments, ramps made of vertically layered stone slabs create natural-looking approaches to the bridge. As the unfinished metal components rust, they become more fully integrated into the setting.
The judges were immediately drawn to this project. “You just can’t walk away from it,” one said. They cited the purity, clarity, and sophistication of its design and the way this simple bridge adds to the beauty of an already stunning site.
?Leslie Ensor
Entrant/Architect: Miró Rivera Architects, Austin, Texas; Builder: Signor Enterprises, Austin; Site: 7.5 acres; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Paul Finkel; Rendering: Miró Rivera Architects.
