• PROJECT
    Feng Hua Bridge
  • LOCATION
    Sur le fleuve Hai He, Tianjin, Chine
  • CLIENT
    Ville de Tianjin
  • PROJECT MANAGEMENT
    Marc Mimram Architecture et Ingénierie, TUCDI
  • DATES
    2004 – 2006
  • SURFACE
    Longueur totale de 240 mètres - Largeur de 120 mètres
  • COST
    24,6 M€
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The program for the Feng Hua bridge in Tianjin originally planned the construction of the road along the quays of the Hai He River, thereby destroying not only the docks but also the small garden located there. So we proposed to move the road, to save the garden which had been abandoned since the cultural revolution. 

The single crossing initially suggested was transformed into three bridges including a bank-to-bank footbridge which was added in order to save the garden, thus placing it at the center of the urban system.

The bridge is also a structural adventure because it is composed of multiple arches strengthened by petals that reflect lights both day and night, and prevent buckling. 128 petals connect these arches, ordering and composing the internal girding of the spatial structure. There are 64 different types, ranging from 2 to 9 meters in length. They form double positively curved surfaces organized by the geometric links between the arches and their position in space. How the petals were shaped perfectly reveals the connection between high technology on the one hand (polymerized resin covered in fiberglass and a metallic structure) and on the other, the craftsmanship involved in creating 64 terracotta molds with complex geometries. This illustrates the ability that we have to bring the factory closer to the project, thanks to the power of geometry provided by digital tools.