Gemeinde Baiersbronn | Baden-Württemberg, Germany 2021-ongoing

The redesign of the Schelklewiese area in Baiersbronn, Germany, forms part of the ‘2025 Green Project of Freudenstadt and Baiersbronn’ state garden show. The overall project aims include reviving existing transport infrastructure connections within the area while upgrading the landscape along the Forbach River. The competition called for the replacement and supplement of existing bridges over the Forbach.

Developed in collaboration with Ingenieurbüro Miebach, a load-bearing combination of wood and concrete was devised for the proposal with the aim of developing a flexible, robust system that can be implemented for all four locations identified in the competition brief. With a dynamic increase in the cross-sectional depth at the centre of each bridge, the design creates static efficiency and minimizes the requirement for ramps when taking into account flood levels.

The identifiable family of spans is the result of a detailed approach to timber engineering and material longevity. Engineered wooden beams are arranged in an oblique configuration in cross section, reducing weather load and the potential for condensation to ‘cling’ to the soffit. The top surface of the beams becomes the permanent formwork for an insitu concrete deck cast on top of the beams – providing permanent weather protection to the primary structure as well as the wearing surface for the bridge users.