90-meter-long suspension bridge inaugurated in Swedish national park

Gottlieb Paludan Architects has designed the new footbridge with the assistance of engineers from Stráský, Hustý a partneři and AFRY. The bridge, which connects the Alby Nature Reserve and the national park, serves as a new northern entrance to the 1,970-hectare national park, commences a route through an altering landscape consisting of both cultural landscape and a pristine nature reserve containing virgin forest.

The 90-meter-long bridge is designed using the stressed ribbon technique, where four steel cables, attached to two abutments, support a bridge deck of concrete elements, leaving the waters of Nyfors Bay untouched by constructions. This technique is one of the oldest forms of bridge construction and in many ways resembles a simple suspension bridge. The design process was carried out with extensive use of 3D modeling and 3D surveying of the surrounding landscape to protect rocks and foliage during construction. The design won the open design competition in 2019, which also included new entrance areas to the national park; a larger main entrance from the West and a smal entrance from the East, as well as new raised wooden walkways that lead visitors to the bridge over the hilly terrain. The main entrance offers parking for cars, motorbikes, tourist busses etc. and will be linked with a new information station and a network of trails including Sörmlandsleden, Sweden’s longest hiking trail. The design, therefore, respects the surrounding landscape and relies on a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the existing qualities.