530sqm
surface
40t
steel for substructure
60
trapezoidal and triangular insulating glass units
capricorn bridge - a 35m long steel-and-glass structure
FLOAT, an office building designed by architect Renzo Piano, was built at the southern end of Dusseldorf’s so-called “Medienhafen” (media harbour). This building has now been connected to the “Capricorn” building across the street by a spectacular steel-and-glass pedestrian bridge.
The bridge structure, with a total length of 35m, consists of a closed, tubular grid shell with glazing made of approx. 60 trapezoidal and triangular insulated glass units (up to 8.1 x 3.0m). The kink in the bridge, evident in the horizontal section, ensures an exact connection to both buildings. The loads of the bridge are absorbed solely by means of the steel structure in the glazed middle column. Since the two cantilevered bridge arms to the left and right of the column have different lengths and angles, the structural design is correspondingly complex.
Header image: © HG Esch
Project diary
Behind the scenes of Capricorn Bridge
The realization of the 35m long Carpicorn Bridge.
- 04/2020
- 01/2020
- 12/2019
- 11/2019
- 10/2019
- 07/2019
- 06/2019
- 06/2019
- 05/2019
- 04/2019
- 03/2019
04/2020
On 03/04/2020 seele completes construction works and the bridge is successfully accepted.
01/2020
The 35m Capricorn Bridge in Dusseldorf is almost completed. Recently the glazing of the bridge arms took place.
12/2019
One side of the bridge is already fully glazed.
11/2019
Glazing works on the bridge have already begun.
10/2019
Only one weekend was necessary to lift and fix the two 26t and 12t heavy cantilevers. ©HGEsch
07/2019
Start of assembly of the Capricorn Bridge in Dusseldorf.
06/2019
Produced trapezoidal and triangular insulated glass units with exact fit for the steel construction
06/2019
Complete assembly of the steel structure of the Carpicorn Bridge © HGEsch Photography
05/2019
Production of laminated brackets © HGEsch Photography
04/2019
A grid shell made of eight polygons, longitudinal ribs and diagonals forms the body. Over the next four weeks, the various parts will be joined to form two completely self-supporting bridge arms and a central pylon.
03/2019
The steel substructure consists of a central pylon and 2 bridge arms. The central pylon consists of 13 round columns. The base of the pylon, the so-called foot element, will be delivered to the construction site in one piece in a size of 8 x 3m and will be encased in conrete. Absolute precision is required, because every millimetre is decisive for assembly on the construction site.
Credits
| Main contractor | Pirol Holzstraße GmbH & Co. KG |
| Architect | Gatermann + Schossig Architekten GmbH |
| Engineer | osd – office for structural design; Wilhelm & Partner |
| Date of completion | 2019 |
| Scope of work by seele |
Pedestrian bridge between two buildings
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