RBCH architectes
«Les Buissons» Footbridge
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Place
Bulle, Switzerland
Studio
Photos
Vincent Jendly
Description
By crossing the Trême River,
the «Les Buissons» footbridge offers a new link between a residential area
located to the south of Bulle's city centre and the north side of the city. It
thus completes the pedestrian pathway network while enhancing the riverbanks.
The footbridge’s structure is a contemporary reinterpretation of the lattice
beam. Its diagonals are made of the interlacing of three to four slats, which
work in tension and in compression. This truss is pinched between two wooden
frames, the lower one with a curvature that increases clearance against the
risk of flooding. The structure is protected against bad weather by a copper-coated
sloping roof with a 1.2m wide eave on both sides. The footbridge was assembled
on the neighbouring plot and put in place overnight with a 500-tonne crane. The
work bears the «Bois Suisse» label.