TARGET 161012

NOT YOUR NORMAL
WALKING BRIDGE

The Friedrich Bayer Bridge is located in front of headquarters of the German multinational pharmaceutical company Bayer, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The pedestrian and bicycle bridge, commissioned by Bayer, spans the Guarapiranga Canal at the confluence with the Pinheiros River. By connecting both sides of the river, the bridge extends the bicycle path that runs parallel to the river, as well as provide commuters access to the metro station.


But when it is available for walking across, it blocks boat traffic on the canal. Not wanting to make a drawbridge or a high bridge for people and bicycles to climb over, they opted for a bridge that simply opens sideways to let the boats through.


Inspired by waterlilies, the bridge consists of two round platforms or islands, 5.4 meters (17.7 feet) in diameter, supported by concrete pillars and surrounded by mini gardens planted with native species. The vegetation is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by around 300 tons per year.


The bridge handles walking and biking traffic only. However, it is in a key position at a point in the canal that separates two parts of the city. On the near side of the photo above is an office and industrial area and on the other side is an urban area. As a result, the bridge serves an estimated 15,000 people daily, including Bayer's over 2000 employees. It is estimated to have a positive impact on over 300,000 people a year as passage between the urban landscape and the metropolitan region.


The pathway is divided into a walkway of wooden boards for pedestrians (shown on the left in the picture above) and a bicycle path made of open metal grating (on the right) that makes the canal below visible.


The project was a collaboration between Bayer Brazil, the Department of Energy and the Metropolitan Water and Energy Company (EMAE). While the structure itself was fully funded by Bayer costing approximately $2 million USD, the total cost of the project was approximately $5 million USD, the remainder being funded by the city for the riverbank regeneration. The bridge and the new Eco Commercial Building (ECB) also designed by Loeb Capote Architects are an indication of Bayer's commitment to sustainable development.


And if the workday is over and you just want to take a slow, scenic walk in a romantic place, the bridge can serve that purpose, too. To date, there are no numbers available for how many marriage proposals have been made here.

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Photo credits: LoebCapote Arquitetura e Urbanismo

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