Finland

Kuusijärvi Bridge

melts like a horizontal tree into the Nordic landscape

Laudation: The bridge melts like a big horizontal tree into the Nordic landscape, reaching with its branches to the ground. Those piles resemble a group of trees themselves. With a natural form, eco-friendly weathering steel and easy deconstruction or re- cyclability it respects fragile nature.

^{© Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association}

The bridge connects Kuusijärvi and Sipoonkorvi National Park in Vantaa near Helsinki between two rocky slopes crossing the road below.

^{© Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association}

Structure

^{© Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association}

The structural system is a steel continuous girder bridge and the material is weathering steel. The total length of the bridge is 126.2 m. The span dimensions are 63 and 52 m, the usable width is 5 m. The superstructure consists of two beveled steel beams and deck made of pressure impregnated wood. The bridge railing is made of vertical steel posts.

Architecture

^{© Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association}

Aesthetics have been guided by the valua- ble natural environment. The combination of the four supporting steel pillars can be seen as tilted tree trunks. The rail- ings are decorated with the local flora and fauna emphasising the national park as a preserver of biodiversity. Of the several pattern options, Vantaa residents vote for their favorite. The symbol animal of the national park, the endangered eagle owl is one of the winners of the vote. The brown weathering steel structure and the wooden deck of the bridge are fitting the environment naturally creating together with the lighting a warm atmos- phere. Kuusijärvi bridge salutes the nature with its design and chosen materials. Life cycle of the bridge is carefully as- sessed and it is a tribute to the surrounding natural parks.

^{© Finnish Constructional Steelwork Association}

Sustainability

The life cycle of the bridge has been carefully assessed and is a tribute to the surrounding natural parks. It is an encouraging example of the cradle-to-cradle usage of steel in construction.

The materials used in the bridge are 100 % recyclable. The maintenance ef- forts for the bridge are minor due to the materials used, especially weathering steel. The routes towards the bridge and the location of the bridge were carefully chosen adapting the existing routes and paths as well as the topography of the forest.

^{© Destia Oy}