Finland’s longest, the Kruunusillat bridge project
Helsinki City Council has approved construction of the Crown Bridges – Kruunusillat – Project, that at 3km will be the longest bridge in Finland.
The bridge will carry pedestrians, cyclists and trams between the city centre and the 143 hectare Kruunuvuorenranta development to the east which will have over 580,000m² of residential space and 6,000 housing units.
The centrepiece of the €259 million scheme, as designed by WSP Finland and Knight Architects, will be the 1.2km span crossing of the main bay, named the Kruunuvuorensilta. The central 135m pylon of the symmetrical cable-stayed design is a tall slender diamond, with multi-faceted surfaces designed to catch light and shadow both by day and night.
WSP has said that the “design is based on a 200-year lifetime” despite being located “in an aggressive marine environment”. The three-dimensional diamond shaped tower is highlighted with facade lighting that changes on festive days. Lights on tramways and bicycle and pedestrian lanes will create an iconic shape on the horizon.
The centre of the bridge consists of two 260m-long cable-stayed main spans supported by a single pylon. The approach spans is a continuous composite girder bridge.
“It will extend Helsinki’s excellent public-transport system, significantly reduce journey times, and create a critical link to new developments. This will be a high-quality, lasting piece of infrastructure, which will be instantly recognisable and synonymous with Helsinki,” said Tom Osborne, project architect.
The project will now enter the detailed design phase, with construction due to start on site in autumn 2018. The tramway is due to be opened to the public in 2025.
The bridge will carry pedestrians, cyclists and trams between the city centre and the 143 hectare Kruunuvuorenranta development to the east which will have over 580,000m² of residential space and 6,000 housing units.
The centrepiece of the €259 million scheme, as designed by WSP Finland and Knight Architects, will be the 1.2km span crossing of the main bay, named the Kruunuvuorensilta. The central 135m pylon of the symmetrical cable-stayed design is a tall slender diamond, with multi-faceted surfaces designed to catch light and shadow both by day and night.
WSP has said that the “design is based on a 200-year lifetime” despite being located “in an aggressive marine environment”. The three-dimensional diamond shaped tower is highlighted with facade lighting that changes on festive days. Lights on tramways and bicycle and pedestrian lanes will create an iconic shape on the horizon.
The centre of the bridge consists of two 260m-long cable-stayed main spans supported by a single pylon. The approach spans is a continuous composite girder bridge.
“It will extend Helsinki’s excellent public-transport system, significantly reduce journey times, and create a critical link to new developments. This will be a high-quality, lasting piece of infrastructure, which will be instantly recognisable and synonymous with Helsinki,” said Tom Osborne, project architect.
The project will now enter the detailed design phase, with construction due to start on site in autumn 2018. The tramway is due to be opened to the public in 2025.
