Bridge of Nine Terraces

The pedestrian bridge over the Qixiang River spans approximately 36 meters and serves as the northern pedestrian entrance to the village. The client wanted the bridge to meet the requirements for boat passage while minimizing the walking height and providing a place for gathering, rest, and communication. To accommodate these design criteria, we divided the 8-meter-wide bridge deck into nine 4m x 8m small platforms, resembling nine small pavilions connected in a gradual rise and fall. Considering a potential joint between architectural and structural typologies, we use the sloping roof of the bridge as the main arch structure, suspending these nine platforms. Through collaboration with structural engineers, the folded-plate arch formed by the steel trusses along the double-sloped roof transfers the vertical load of the suspended platforms into the internal forces of the arch structure, which are then transmitted to the foundation on the abutments through U-shaped concrete bridgehead fortifications. The entire folded-plate arch is clad with titanium-zinc panels on the upper surface and wood slats on the lower surface, harmonizing with the traditional appearance of the village roofs. The nine suspended platforms are light and transparent, connected by ramps and stairs, with a central passage for walking and side spaces for resting and hosting bridge-top markets. In contrast, the bridgehead fortifications on both sides adopt cast-in-place concrete walls with pebble aggregate and domestic-sized door and window openings, giving a rustic and sturdy appearance. We extended the double-sloped roof of the bridge to cover the shear walls, transforming the bridgeheads into two "half-houses," imbuing this pedestrian bridge with the warmth of a village homecoming. Location | Expo Village of the 11th Horticultural Exposition of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province Program | pedestrian bridge Gross floor area | 3,229 ft2 (400 m²) Bridge Span | 37.8m Designed/built | 2018/2022 Architectural Design | Scenic Architecture Office Design team | ZHU Xiaofeng, ZHOU Yan, LI Qitong Client | Jiangsu Horticultural Exposition Construction and Development Co., Ltd Structural consultant | ZHANG Zhun (AND Office) Local design institute | T.Y. Lin International Group General Contractor | China Construction Eighth Bureau Cultural Tourism Investment Development Co. Interior Subcontractor | Jiangsu Dihao Decoration Co. Photography | LIANG Shan, ZHU Runzi