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Type: Landmark | bridge, restaurant and viewing deck Location: Amsterdam Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers with Maria Teresa Durão Floor area / size: 350 mtr span Special thanks to: Quest Magazine Status: Sketch design

2008-07-31 New landmark for Amsterdam?

‘Why is it that Amsterdam lacks an architectonic icon like the Eiffel Tower’ questions Quest Magazine. Amsterdam is no city of ‘useless’ icons is the answer of NEXT architects. But it has potential for a strong gesture that binds north and south Amsterdam for good. Therefore NEXT designed in this context the Y-bridge in connection with the waterfront developments along the Y-banks and published in the July issue. Beside the connection of the centre with the developments on the North side of the Y, the bridge forms a square above the water with a great view of Amsterdam and its remarkable canals. The bridge has a span of approximately 350 meter and goes up to 50 meter concerning cruise ships to pass. This Y-bridge creates not only a relation with Amsterdam North, but moreover it transforms the Y to a town square. It is a new icon for Amsterdam and perhaps even for the Netherlands.

Type: Bridge Location: Purmerend Client: Municipality of Purmerend Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers with Ronald Rietveld, Jurriaan Hillerström, Agathe Osika, Ieda Alvarez Dogo, Betty Aarts, Michel Mandersloot, Anne-Laurance Ricard, Tom van Alst, Ayelet Kamar, Agata Pięt Collaborator / associate: Ronald Rietveld Landschaparchitectuur Floor area / size: 66 mtr span Cost: Euro 6.000.000,00 Construction: Ingenieurs Bureau Amsterdam (IBA), ABT adviesbureau voor Bouwtechniek Status: Final design

2010-02-01 Start Tender

The Melkwegbrug (Milky Way Bridge), a continuation of the Melkweg, is part of the Kanaalsprong master plan and connects the Weidevenne district to the historical city centre.

To conform to the angle of inclination requirements with regard to bicycle and wheelchair traffic, we needed a length of over 100 m.

We therefore decided to separate bicycle and wheelchair traffic from pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians cross the canal by a high arch, reach a height of over 12 m and stand a chance of a vista: the connection between the old and the new becomes perceivable here. 

The bridge thus becomes more than just the fastest possible crossing, it becomes an end and an attraction in itself. Because pedestrian traffic and bicycle traffic are separated, the footbridge can continue the direct line of the Melkweg in the direction of the centre.

The bicycle bridge coils over the water to create sufficient length to limit the angle of inclination of the bicycle path. The section that opens is divided diagonally and consists of two revolving bridge decks.

Type: Bridge Location: Hulsen Client: Municipality Hellendoorn Team: Michel Schreinemachers, Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk withJurriaan Hillerström, Filipe Pocas, Ieda Alvarez Dogo, Wenhua Deng Floor area / size: 45 mtr span Cost: Euro 1.100.000,00 Construction: Ingenieurs Bureau Amsterdam (IBA) Completion: September 2008

2008-07-30 deck installed

The Visschebelt is a nature conservancy project intended to return the Regge River to its original meandering path. The outlook-hill offering a panoramic overview of the new nature-area is linked to the new bridge. The bridge is comprised of a section for motor traffic and a section for light and low-speed traffic, such as equestrian traffic, small motorscooters and special vehicles.

Over the Regge, the bicycle- and foot-paths descend in the direction of the elevated outlook, so that the bridge splits into two parts. The eye-catching, triangular area created by splitting the traffic paths emphasizes the presence of and relation to the water. Aside from creating a surprising look-through space, the opening allows daylight to reach the usually dark spaces under the bridge, promoting plant growth.

Contrasting with the open and airy railing running along the outer side of the bridge, the safety barrier along the inner side of the bridge is a solid concrete wall, extending down past the surface of the roadway toward the river; the barrier is adorned with a bold graphic design. 

The outer railing is detailed with graduated steel supports, tapering from a narrow top to a wider base on the outer side of the bridge. In this way, the edge of the bridge on the east side is rigid: the grates and railings are terminated abruptly. On the opposite side of the Regge, the west side, the bridge dissolves into the landscape through the more gradual lines of the grates and railing supports. 

Type: Two bridges Location: Glanerbeek Client: Municipality Enschede Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers, John van de Water with Shaya Fallahi, Joost Lemmens Collaborator / associate: H+N+S Landschapearchitects Floor area / size: 20 mtr span Cost: - Contractor: Spijkerbouw Construction: ABT construction, Rob Nijsse and Jans Askes Start building: May 2006 Completion: December 2006

To reconcile the rather contradictory aim of transporting motor-vehicle traffic through the ecological zone of the Glanerbeek, the continuity of both is taken as a starting point. Above the brook the bridge transforms according to visual and ecological demands.

The bridge splits into three separate lanes – one each for bus, pedestrians and bicycles - and each assigned its individual artery the maximum available height, clearance and incline. This emphasizes its transparency, providing daylight underneath the bridge for flora and fauna, as well as a view of the Glanerbeek for passersby. A bench placed at the most advantageous overlook on the footpath combines the traditional function of the bridge as a point of transition with that of a meeting place. 

The construction is based on a thin in-situ concrete deck, strategically positioned atop a repetition of gabions filled with rough stones. The use of gabions allows plants and wildlife to inhabit the structure, further integrating the bridge into its natural surroundings. 

Type: Bridge Location: Nijverdal Client: Municipality Hellendoorn Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers,Filipe Pocas, Jurriaan Hillerström, Ieda Alvarez Dogo Collaborator / associate: H+N+S Landschapsarchitecten Floor area / size: 27 mtr span Cost: Euro 800.000,00 Construction: Romein Beton Completion: September 2008

In the community of Nijverdal a segment of the Regge River has been restored to its original path. This operation was undertaken as a part of the larger combined environmental conservancy plan for the area. Working with bureau H+N+S, a landscaping proposal was developed with the bridge playing a prominent role.  

The Wierdensestraat is a long road bounded along its entire length by a separated bicycle path, to which a footpath will be added. The crossing of the River Regge is visually emphasised by drawing the bicycle and foot paths closer in towards the roadway. This makes room on the both sides of the bridge for a lookout for passersby over the Regge Valley.

The lookout bays are floored with steel grates, whose open structure increases the feeling of connection with the water flowing underneath. The grating also allows more daylight to reach the areas under the bridge, stimulating plant growth and encouraging the ecological balance to remain at natural levels.

The grates and hand-railings are carried by vertical steel supports which are fastened to the concrete; these supports are flat, and taper to a narrow top from a wide bottom. This graduation positions the hand-railing on the inner side when seen in relation to the steel grates underfoot. The visual effect of the repetition of these tapered supports gives the bridge a svelte appearance, a flowing transition between the abutment and the beginning of the surface of the bridge which gives the bridge a much elongated appearance.

Location: Friesland, The Netherlands Client: Province Friesland Team: Bart Reuser, Marijn Schenk, Michel Schreinemachers, Joost Lemmens, Jurriaan Hillerstrom, Pieter Mulder, Jurrian Knijtijzer, Wingjim Yick, Anne-Laurence Ricard, Agata Piet with Lodewijk van Nieuwenhuize, Jutta Raith en Frank Talsma Collaborator / associate: H+N+S Landscape architects Construction: Arup bv Status: In progress