Blue Bridge

Grand Rapids has an affinity for public art, and its craft brewery scene is one of the best in the nation. A scenic spot perched on the Grand River –Michigan’s longest waterway –Grand Rapids has evolved from its 19th-century roots as a hub of furniture production to the modern-day metro area that is attracting college students and young families with its healthy job market, affordable housing and outdoor recreational activities. This picture to the right is the model and would essentially replace the Blue Bridge already in GrandRapids right now with a more Inhabitable bridge where people can live and walk straight through with shops and everything they could need. From the doctors and nurses working in the region’s booming health care industry, to the strong LGBTQ community that hosts the muchfeted annual Grand Rapids Pride event, to the numerous artists and musicians, the region is home to people from all walks of life.

Grand Rapids’ neighborhood associations are incredibly active, bringing the metro area’s population together for community events such as the Eastown Street Fair, which draws people to the artsy neighborhood for food, music and more. The design of my inhabited bridge included apartment on the top floors while keeping retail down at the bottom. My overall design is meant to resemble a heart beat and to fit with the art scene that Grand Rapids has set in place already. The project also had us keep the middle 15 feet or so open for emergency vehicles that would need to get accross if needed, but not used as an actual road. This is specifically a pedestrian bridge that allows for retail and living spaces.

Site Plan

Elevation

Residential

Commercial

Pedestrian Walk

Structure (Piers)