THE URBAN BRIDGES
Hedy Lemus Bird
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Urban Bridges: The Brief Market Bridge Landscape Bridge Pedestrian Bridges The Design Process
URBAN BRIDGES The Brief
Prague is a city with a lot to offer, and its diverse districts have several characteristics that add quality to the city. Holesovice is definitely an area in Prague with plenty of potential. Being an industrial area previously, it has this innovative and artistic feel which can be seen in its many buildings and streets. One of its greatest charatectistics is its location. Looking it from a map or an eye view, Holesovice can easily be identify due to its island looking shape wrapped with the Vltava river. However, this shows some disadvantages as it is quite isolated and not well connected with the rest of Prague. Here is where the idea of an urban connection came into place Connection and accessibility are key points in order to urbanize and make an area grow. But, how to make an area grow, without loosing its community identity and style? Is it a good idea to just redirect traffic into Holesovice so it becomes a new city center? Perhaps no. Therefore, maybe the connection is not targeted to big masses, but instead to the existing community in Holesovice and Prague. Solution? Urban Bridges The Urban Bridges serve as several purposes. Besides, of course, providing a connection between point A and point B and easing access from and to Holesovice, they also are designed to create an experience for the user, an experience never seen in Prague before The proposal is made out of 3 sets of bridges ideas, each of them designed specifically to follow a function that will enhance the experience and that will add value to the district
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Landscape Bridge
Pedestrian + bikes bridge - B Market Bridge Pedestrian + bikes bridge - A
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bridges proposals
Existing
I. Market Bridge
Existing conditions of Holesovice harbour
A continuation of Pražská tržnice Market
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II. Landscape Bridge
III. Pedestrian bridges
A combination of connecting bridges and urban parks
Bridges designed specifically for the access of pedestrians and bikers
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01 MARKET BRIDGE Pražská tržnice extention
The Urban bridge proposal starts with the Market Bridge. Coming directly from the existing Market in Holesovice: Prazska Trznice, and expanding over the river until it terminates into Karlin, the bridge gives the user several features and experiences such as shopping, dinning, excellent views, and a great walk. The interior space is a semi-closed, open and flexible market with the ability to be reorganized as needed. The facade is made of lightweight concrete panels with huge floor to ceiling opening that gives the user the ability of having great views of downtown Prague. The facade, similarly as the interior space, is also flexible and able to change depending on the circumstances such as weather and climate Around the middle of the bridge, a open space can be found. This open “plaza” creates a new experience for the people, as, besides being completely open in the outdoors, it is also located right on top of Stvanice island, which gives a lot of more features into the Market
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Prazska Trznice
Prazska Trznice extention
The existing Prague Market - Prazska Trznice is the point of start. It is a great area with a lot of potential, and with need of an extra development to enhance the area even more
Using the existing Market as a starting point, an axis line is created to go over the Vltava river, overpassing Stance island, and terminating into the other side of the river, Karlin
I. Market Bridge
I. Market Bridge points
Semi closed bridge with a long span extending from Holesovice to Karlin
Points of interest of the bridge: Prazska Trznice starting point, Stvanice Island stop point with accessibility in and out of the bridge, and termination point at Karlin
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Interior Layout
The interior layout of the market bridge is intended to imitate the layout of the existing Holesovice market - Pražská tržnice. The yellow boxes are a representation of the “blocks” or shops that can be flexibly placed around the space
Accessibility There are several points of access to the bridge. The main one starts from the Holesovice side, coming directly from Pražská tržnice. The market continuation is an important feature in the design of the bridge. On the other end of it, at the Karlin area, a ramp comes down and serves as a sitting and “chilling” area. It is a great ending of a long walk though the market bridge Additionally, there are set of stairs that provide access. One set located at the beginning of the bridge, providing access to the people walking on the river bank, and another set that provides access in and out of the Štvanice island
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THE MARKET interior layout
The open space layout of the market allows natural flow of people thought out its longevity. It is meant to be a busy space with sellers and shoppers walking back and forth and exchanging goods. While doing that, people can enjoy the amazing views that Prague offers by looking out of the floor-to-ceiling openings that allow visibility, natural  lighting, and ventilation inside the market 13
Lighting If sunlight is desired, the floor-toceiling glazing windows allow the light to penetrate the building, illuminating huge part of it as well as providing interesting shadows.
Shading
If needed, the high windows can be covered by a vertical shading system that adapts to the desired position.
Ventilation
The ventilation inside the structure is provided naturally by the multiplied constant openings located on the sides and on the top of the building. The air can flow through it giving a fresh and ventilated featured.
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T H E C O U R T YA R D Exterior layout
The market, when crossing on top of Stvanice island, opens up completely creating an open courtyard with access stairs to the ground. It is an important feature of the design because it creates a contrasts with the rest of the market, and gives you a “break� of the busy interior layout 15
02 LANDSCAPE BRIDGE Bridges + Parks
The second proposed bridge is a combination of connecting paths and existing land The bridge experience starts at the intersection between the streets Jankovcova and V Pristavu, where there is an existing residential development on the left, and an empty parking lot on the right. Additionally, there is an existing port or dock that eventually can be developed to enhance the area and provide more easy accessibility to the bridge. From that starting point, the bridge extends simulating a snake shape and elevating up to 6 meters over the Vltava River. It then makes a stop at the first piece of land where Bubenske nabr. street is located. This is the point of the first park. This dynamic repeats two more times in order to give the user a great experience on and off the bridge Contrasting the typical bridge shape, where it looks and feels like a heavy structure that is placed into a site to connect point A from point B, the smoothness of the Landscape Bridge gives the illusion that it is coming out of the earth as it merges seamlessly into the ground. It feels light weight, environmental friendly, and design for the user The Landscape Bridge, besides providing access from Holesovice to Karlin, also merges and creates a connection between the river and the land, which is something that is lacking all around Prague
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T H E PA R K playground
One of the features of the proposed bridge and park is the design of playgrounds and areas of rest to enhance the experience. The main playground is located in the middle of park 1 and it provides a space to play and fantastic views of the bridge, Â Holesovice, and other areas in Prague
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II. Park B view
II. View from part to bridge
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III. Trail view
SEAMLESS BRIDGE Bridge + Park
As seen in the image, the bridge elevates just enough to give a good clearance above, but yet to show the impression that it is a lightweight and that merges into the ground. Beyond the first park, the repeated elevation of the bridge heading towards the second park can be seen, again very seamlessly and smoothly 22
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03 PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE pedestrians + bikers
The last piece of the proposal consists of the design of two pedestrian and bike bridges. Â Along the Vltava river, we can see several bridges. However, even if these bridges are somewhat accessible by foot, they are design, for the most part, for the access of vehicles. Not for pedestrians. The pedestrian bridge is design specifically for the use of people walking or biking on it. They have a simple, straight forward shape, that looks like if the bridge was just floating on the river. Both proposed bridges start at points in Holesovice, and terminates at the other side of the River (Karlin, for bridge A, and Kychynka for bridge B). They both are a great way to connect people with the area and to facilitate and enhance transportation, commerce, extracurricular activities, and much more
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B
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Simplicity Simple, straight forward design is the main focus of the bridges, as they are functional and light weight. They sever as accessibility point for pedestrians and bikers, letting them move from one district of Prague to another, Â while granting them excellent views
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THE PROCESS
THE PROCESS relationship with the river
From the very beginning, two main focus were the foundation of the proposals: the idea was to somehow relate and connect the river to the land, as Holesovice is mostly surrounded by it, and the aim to design something for the people to enhance their living experience in the area. Several ideas were place into the table until it got reduced to 3 main proposal alterations. The three proposal are different in function, but they are related and touch the main points that needed to be work in Holesovice The proposal include: the development of the entire perimeter of Holesovice creating a usable and function harbor, the idea of having an elevated urban park right on one of the main streets in the area - Delnicka, and, the chosen proposal, the design of several bridges around the area
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Concept Variations
Exiting
HoleĹĄovice Harbour
Exiting
Concept A
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Urban Parks
Urban Bridges
Concept B
Concept C
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HoleĹĄovice Harbour Concept A
The first idea is based around the river and its lack of use in Prague. We can see in many other cities that water place an huge impact in the way cities are built. Not only is a great way of exportation and easy access to an area, but also can add value to its retail, commercial use, and businesses. This relationship with the water is missing in Prague,  specially in Holesovice The proposal consist of redeveloping the perimeter by doing several simple but effective changes and moves such as bikes paths along the river, plazas or squares to attract people and create communities, and plenty of green spaces or parks. With this also comes the commercial aspect of it where restaurants, bars, or shops can establish themselves along the river and grant  great value to the area and surrounded buildings
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I. PLAZAS/PUBLIC BUILDINGS Embracing the river as a recreational amenity
Faaborg Harbor Bath, Denmark
Chicago Riverwalk, USA
II. PARKS/RECREATIONAL Green space not only within the city, but along the river bank
Tom Mccall Waterfront Park, Portland, OR, USA
III. PATHS Area for pedestrian and bikes
Waterfront Park of Aiyi River, Yingchuan, China
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Urban Parks Concept B
The second idea detaches itself from the river and goes more inland into one of the main streets in  Holesovice: Delnicka This is an area where we can find a lot of commerce, activity, and life. However, it is very commercialized, with a lot of buildings around it, and not too much open spaces. Since there is no space to add open areas either, why not elevate it over the busy street? This will not only grant the park that the area is lacking, but it will also be adding back land to the site. This elevated park will have a life of its own, but will also have a connection with the busy life on the ground level, creating a nice dynamic and relationship and  giving an overall complete experience to the area
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Urban Bridges Concept C
Lastly, the third and chosen proposal is the Urban Bridges. A set of design bridges along the river that have specific functions to, not only provide accessibility and connections, but also give a .unique experience to the user
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Connecting bridges to parks
Friedrich Bayer Bridge, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Bridges for pedestrians and bikes only
The Circle Bridge Copenhagen, DK
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Bicycle Snake København V, Denmark
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Hedy Lemus Bird hedy2ml@gmail.com
ARCHITECTURAL INSTITUTE IN PRAGUE WERTIG/NEUHÄUSL STUDIO WINTER 2017/2018 AD5