Designed by CEDIM, Within the context of double-layered shells in architecture, there is wide contemporary research which is bringing relevant advancement in lightweight applications and structural performance for large span construction. Such topics have been explored during the last eight years by educational institutes such as the Institute for Computational Design and Construction ICD, the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design ITKE and the Centre for Information Technology and Architecture CITA, creating the ground for this research.

Bending Bridges focuses on the development of a double-layered construction system for a free-standing load-bearing lightweight wooden structure, through global double curvature, and local active bending principle. The project aim is the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge exploiting the elastic bending capacity of standard thin plywood. Photography: Héctor Pineda
The design explores structurally complex curved forms that fulfill both architectural and structural constraints. The arch and the surface curvature were designed and optimized through computational structural analysis to carry loads directly to the foundation, allowing to withstand the weight of 5 people crossing the bridge while guaranteeing structural integrity with minimum displacement. The bridge’s global design has been driven by a spline-like curve, which allows having an optimal distribution of forces while keeping minimum bridge inclina...