Glow Bridge, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From Archiplanet

Jump to: navigation, search
 Glow Bridge
Designer 4240 Architecture Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA
Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Date
Building Type Bridge
Architectural Style High Tech
Street Address
Notes The project is a collaboration between 4240 Architecture, Thornton Tomasetti and Comptek Structural Composites, Inc.

Contents


[edit] Images

[edit] Discussion

Building Details
Height 24 feet tall at mid-span
Length 1,600-foot span
Awards {{{building_awards}}}


[edit] Physical Surroundings

The bridge spans the Ohio River and frames the skyline of downtown Pittsburgh. It crosses the Ohio River approximately one mile below Point State Park (which marks the union of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers).


[edit] Purpose

The bridge supports the developing riverfront district. It establishes a (re)connection across the three rivers of Pittsburgh consisting of additions to the West End, Fort Pitt, and Fort Duquesne Bridges. It also makes the city more accessible to pedestrians (e.g. it links the Duquesne Incline with the Heinz Field Stadium and the Carnegie Science Center).


[edit] Design Concept

Just as Pittsburgh was once known for steel, the “glow” of the bridge continues the city’s tradition of innovation and beauty and represents a future in the materials science and technology. The plastic material used for the bridge allows a dramatically slender clear span across the rivers. Its gentle glow is an unmistakable icon at night.

  • Glow: Echoes the historic past of the "Steel City" and represents the future in Pittsburgh's vast material science resources and manufacturing prowess.
  • Pedestrian Crossings: “A nod to the past and a bridge to the future.” Continues the tradition of technological innovation and beauty in the City of Bridges.
  • Material Science: Uses high-tech materials to create a dramatically slender clear span that embodies the spirit of Pittsburgh's future.
  • Icon: Creates a gentle glow that is an unmistakable icon of the three rivers, while presenting an ecological sensitivity to the need for a dark sky.


[edit] Materials

[edit] Type

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) - composite material, with an extremely lightweight structure and surface, manufactured as layers of fiber reinforced polymer.

[edit] Features
  • Glows in the dark: A luminescent pigment embedded in the polymer absorbs direct and ambient sunlight and emits a subtle glow each evening.
  • Strength: FRP composites are five times lighter than comparable designs in steel and ten times lighter than those in concrete (favorable strength to weight ratio).
  • Long span: The design is impossible in steel or concrete, but the strength of the polymer allows for the ultra-slim profile and enormous span.



[edit] Maps

[edit] References

[edit] External Links


Retrieved from "http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Glow_Bridge%2C_Pittsburgh%2C_Pennsylvania"
Personal tools