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The "Potters’ Chalets" Footbridge
The "Potters’ Chalets" Footbridge
Czechia
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The "Potters’ Chalets" Footbridge
Czechia
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2019
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
Crossing the Čistá brook near the mountain settlement of the ‘Potters’ Chalets’ (Hrnčířské Boudy – Töpferbauden) in the Krkonoše, this footbridge fully matches several of the previously set basic assumptions and principles. First among them is ease of disassembly. It is relatively hard to reach its location; hence the bridge is composed of smaller elements which are more easily handled.
Another binding condition is the minimising of physical interventions in the natural environment and retention of the flow-through profile of the watercourse. As such, the entire spatial construction of the bridge is supported merely at the end of stone abutments.
Climactic conditions, primarily in terms of damp, are far from favourable at the selected site, and thus stress was placed in the design on minimising horizontal surfaces for wooden elements and treating all points where water might collect. For this reason, all important connections use steel components, with a lifespan far beyond the initially preferred material, wood. Yet, bearing in mind tradition, the character of the surroundings and the assignment of itself, the authors did not entirely wish to abandon it.
The actual structure and form of the bridge has a striking spatiality. It is composed of seven elevated equilateral triangles at an axial distance of 1.5 m, connected at their apexes with steel piping, compressed above and stretched below. The main forces are borne by the rods, thanks to which the structure appears delicate and light. Inserted into this basic structural container is the “runner” of the bridge, made of larch boards with a length of 1.9 m. These boards are anchored via steel profiles between the individual triangles.
The bridge is situated in a narrow gorge and at a sharp bend in the trail. This site gives the impression that the valley ends just past the bridge, and thanks to this unique scenery the spiderweb-construction in a sense encloses the entire valley. Whoever crosses the bridge can see every detail of its construction and touch the individual elements. Its “mysterious” design sparks curiosity and invites one to examine it closer.
The bridge was planned and hand-built by students of the atelier Seho – Světlík at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague, as part of a design-build project in collaboration with the Administration of the Krkonoše National Park.
Photo: Martin Čeněk.
Another binding condition is the minimising of physical interventions in the natural environment and retention of the flow-through profile of the watercourse. As such, the entire spatial construction of the bridge is supported merely at the end of stone abutments.
Climactic conditions, primarily in terms of damp, are far from favourable at the selected site, and thus stress was placed in the design on minimising horizontal surfaces for wooden elements and treating all points where water might collect. For this reason, all important connections use steel components, with a lifespan far beyond the initially preferred material, wood. Yet, bearing in mind tradition, the character of the surroundings and the assignment of itself, the authors did not entirely wish to abandon it.
The actual structure and form of the bridge has a striking spatiality. It is composed of seven elevated equilateral triangles at an axial distance of 1.5 m, connected at their apexes with steel piping, compressed above and stretched below. The main forces are borne by the rods, thanks to which the structure appears delicate and light. Inserted into this basic structural container is the “runner” of the bridge, made of larch boards with a length of 1.9 m. These boards are anchored via steel profiles between the individual triangles.
The bridge is situated in a narrow gorge and at a sharp bend in the trail. This site gives the impression that the valley ends just past the bridge, and thanks to this unique scenery the spiderweb-construction in a sense encloses the entire valley. Whoever crosses the bridge can see every detail of its construction and touch the individual elements. Its “mysterious” design sparks curiosity and invites one to examine it closer.
The bridge was planned and hand-built by students of the atelier Seho – Světlík at the Faculty of Architecture of the Czech Technical University in Prague, as part of a design-build project in collaboration with the Administration of the Krkonoše National Park.
Photo: Martin Čeněk.
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