Winner of the General Public Award for Contemporary Architecture in Greater Paris, 2005-2010 Nominated for the French Architecture Prize Equerre d’Argent 2007-2008

Due to the separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, bridges are particularly significant landscapes in public space in Evry. One key requirement quickly emerged: the need to prevent objects being thrown onto vehicles beneath the footbridge. At the same time as offering better user safety, we also wanted the bridge to be transparent and fun. We combined these architectural intentions and technical considerations to create a steel structure forming a volume which encompasses pedestrians. At the same time, we were careful not to create any sense of being caged in.

The new footbridge of the "Quai aux Fleurs" at Evry, France, replacing the ancient footbridge in laminated glued timber has been built on the existing supports. 62.22 metres long, it has three spans of 24.41 m, 26.47 m and 11.34 m. The longitudinal slope is 4%. The loadbearing steel structure consists of an array of round tubes echoing the rotation of DNA across the entire span of the footbridge. Each tube makes a quarter turn per section, successively becoming part of the load-bearing structure beneath the decking, the load-bearing structure beneath the anti-vandal mesh on the sides, and an aesthetic element integrating the lights above the pedestrians.

The plan geometry is straight for the two long spans and curved in the small end span. The intermediate piers have a X-shape and are built of boxed steel sections. The four tubes at the ring corners are linked by a box section diaphragm with an approximately rectangular shape. The footbridge equipments include timber decking and handrail, high parapets in welded steel mesh and a carefully designed lighting.