Perkins Eastman was hired by the city of Kirkland to design a pedestrian bridge, that is safe and memorable, over its busiest street as it passes through the Totem Lake neighborhood. As a key aspect in the Cross Kirkland Corridor, the Totem Lake Connector doubles as a structurally dramatic bridge and an icon for both the neighborhood and the city.
The design team began by developing four different structural options for review and debate. A design focused on engaging the local context dynamically and memorably, emerged following a lengthy public engagement process.
The final design’s connector is inspired by the motion of skipping a stone aimed toward Totem Lake. The design resulted in a structure with fluid form, involving the connection between Lake Washington and Totem Lake. The bridge deck area is enlarged at the traffic island to emphasize the skipping of the metaphorical stone. The team created a gradient-pixelization ripple pattern to the bridge deck to create a playful and engaging effect for pedestrians and cyclists with a nod to the adjacent Totem Lake Wetlands.
This project was completed by VIA prior to becoming a Perkins Eastman Studio.
A sweeping radial serpentine form creates a dynamic opportunity both in physical experience and visual form. Guardrails tilt outward, creating a generous and active observation area while seamlessly integrating the structural elements and handrails. Preserving the integrity of the structure and maintaining strong lines and profiles was critical to the project’s success, truly establishing the Totem Lake Connector as a piece of functional art.
