Three Bridges. Calatrava In Reggio Emilia

The three bridges designed by Santiago Calatrava in Reggio Emilia make up a single architectural statement. A large central bridge is surrounded by two smaller bridges at each end. The main bridge is built in steel and has a span of 220 metres with a box girder deck supported centrally by 50 pairs of wire cables hanging from a 50 metre high arch. The bridge deck is 27 meters wide. 4000 tons of steelwork were used in the construction. Like all cable supported bridges it is quite bouncy when heavy traffic passes over it or when it is hit by the movement of air when a high speed train passes underneath.

The two identical bridges at either end of the main bridge are also cables stayed bridges with the cables arranged in such a way as to give curious visual effects as one moves around them. Each has a span of 179 metres with a bridge deck 17 metres wide. The tower that supports the bridge deck is 70 metres high with 26 pairs of cables giving a hyperbolic effect. This set of photographs is an exploration of the structural form of these three bridges interacting with different atmospheric conditions at various times of day.

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