Marte.Marte Architekten ZT GmbH

Schanerloch Bridge

Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins
Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins

SCHANERLOCH BRIDGE

Marte.Marte Architects

LOCATION
Dornbirn, Austria

YEAR
2005

CATEGORY
Vehicular Bridge

PHOTOGRAPHS
Marc Lins

Text description provided by architect.

The bridge through the Schanerloch gorge is part of the impressive road from the city of Dornbirn to the hamlet of Ebnit which picturesquely situated by the well of the river Dornbirner Ache at the foot of scenic mountains.

The spectacular route to this ancient settlement area is characterized by a series of natural rock tunnels and stone bridges.

Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins
Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins

Originating from the well known typology of the stone arch bridge, modern technology takes the geometry of the arch to its very limits.

The reduction of the arch rise to a statically necessary minimum is combined with a twist along one axis.

The latter is also responding to the bending road as a curve immediately follows the bridge in both driving directions.

Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins
Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins
Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins

The result is a concrete sculpture that might look unspectacular in plan and from the driver’s point of view, but from the shore of the river winding through the gorge it unveils its compelling fascination.

It playfully mimes the frozen dynamic of the mountain road and captures the dramatic place in reinforced concrete.

Perfect in form, a masterpiece of design and statical calculation precisely fixed in the spectacular scenery.

Schanerloch Bridge
© Marc Lins


Schanerloch Bridge
Section

Schanerloch Bridge
Plan

Marte.Marte Architekten ZT GmbH
T +43 5522 35485
Marte.Marte Architekten ZT GmbH
Neustadt 37, 6800 Feldkirch, Austria