Shell Footbridges, Madrid

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site plan | floor plan
longitudinal section | transversal section

Shell Footbridges, Madrid

One of the main formal qualities of the footbridges is the constant presence of curves and counter-curves in their various elements. Access is through a pointed arch between the concrete supports of the vault, with a massive visual impact. Subsequently, the vault rises and reduces its thickness and in turn the lateral arch grows in elevation, emphasising the lightness of the structure and the creation of a large viewpoint overlooking the river. On the other hand, the vault and deck are narrower in the centre. This deck has a curved slope that starts with a 4% slope at the end and reduces to 0% in the centre, where it reaches a level approximately 40 cm above the height at the ends.

All of these features create a spatial compression and decompression effect that gives a special character to the crossing of the river and the access to the park. The curtain of cables that define the vertical walls increases the sensation of entering a clearly formalised space and means that each step offers the walker a unique perspective of the façade of the Avenida del Manzanares, the Salón de Pinos and the Parque de la Arganzuela.

Location Madrid Río
Client Ayuntamiento de Madrid
Architects Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos
Porras La Casta
Rubio & A-Sala
West 8
Team director Ginés Garrido
Design Team Javier Malo de Molina, María Jesús Franco, Almudena Carro, Sergio de Castillo, Juan Galbis, Elisa Lara, Agustín Martín, Juan José Mateos, Raquel Marugán, Emilio Ontiveros, Juan Tur, Samir Alaoui, María Ángeles Fernández, Carlos Fernández, Elena Garicano, Eduardo González, Miguel Ángel López, Marina del Mármol, Gema Montáñez, Víctor Muñoz, María Ortega, Susana Paz, Antonia Peña, Lucía Prado, Jonás Prieto, Ramiro Sánchez, Emma Simonsson, Elena Verdú, Carlos Carnicer, Cristina Cordero, María Pilar Recio.
Photography Ana Müller
Jeroen Musch
Completion date 2010