The Weerwater Bridge, Almere

The second principle is that the bridge itself is built using as much recycled material as possible. That includes making sure that the construction, the use and maintenance of the bridge aims to be energy-neutral. Sustainable and circular construction is in line with Almere’s ambitions as a green city.

The third principle of the design is that the bridge clearly communicates the green ideas based on which it is designed. Walking, cycling or running across it one does not only experience the beauty of the park and the view over the lake, but also picks up a feeling for the ideas of circularity, ecological integration and sustainable building that have been applied here. 

The green ambitions of Almere can be read from this bridge. It is an exciting example of a future way of building that brings the users closer to the open space, nature and the beauty of the environment. And it is immediately obvious that the way it is built and integrated into the landscape with its additions to give opportunities to plants and animals makes ecological sense.

The steel columns are made of recycled steel, taken from demolished buildings from all over the Netherlands. The wooden ribs and the deck consist for 75 % of recycled azobe wood, originating from replaced shore embankments and the outer layer of the land abutments contain recycled basalt. The choice for minimal or no manipulation of the materials brings out the motivation to build with circularity in mind. It is obvious that the columns, the steel profiles and the wood of ribs and deck have been used before. The foundations that remain invisible are fully recycled as well. It is a bridge with a multiple past, offering a host of stories.

To use as little material as possible also leads to adjustments to the land abutments, making the bridge a little shorter. This design does not have to produce any waste: all parts are easily removed and replaced without loss of material or damage.

The side panels of the deck are equipped with solar cells that produce the energy for the subtle evening lighting on the bridge. Subtle lighting goes with the style of this bridge, where functionality, visual experience, circularity and ecology go together.

The Weerwater Bridge is an attempt to develop a new look on constructive design. This design can be seen as an experimental inquiry into a design method that strikes a balance between three dimensions: that of functionality (economic and technical aspects), that of esthetics (visual and cultural aspects) and a third in which sustainability as a fundamental factor in architecture plays a role in all stages and elements of the design process. It is an art to learn to design that way and to consider energy-use, circularity and the relationship with the ecosystem and people from the very beginning. Those who wish to consider sustainability not just an economic concern or a fashionable prop or fad is in for a difficult transition process. There will be new uncertainties: the appearance of the columns of the bridge will be determined by the price and availability of steel to be re-used. The life span of the wooden deck may be shorter than a concrete one, but in terms of emission it might be a huge win. All this leads to new considerations when technical and esthetic choices are to be made.

All in all, this stimulates the exploration of new construction methods, the investigation and testing of new materials, and a rethinking of our priorities. How functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability relate to each other at this fundamental level can only be investigated empirically. With the design for the Weerwater Bridge in Almere, ZJA demonstrates that, in their view, such research is a necessary component of the future of architecture.