Swedish architecture firm Erik Andersson has designed a heated pedestrian bridge to ease the way for walkers and cyclists.
The Tullhus Bridge was designed with an innovative built-in heating system which works to melt snow and ice on the pedestrian
walkway. Bridges tend to ice up quicker than roads due to their surfaces being higher up and more exposed to the elements.
The bridge is nestled between the north quay in Stockholm’s city centre and the residential area of Strömsholmen.
Insulation was used throughout the €2 million bridge’s design to direct heat to the walkways. In addition to the heating
features, LED lights have been integrated into the handrails, lighting the walkway up at night.
The 70-metre Tullhus bridge walkway is made of steel and the bridge itself includes vibration dampers which counteract
vertical movements, keeping it stable.
The steel bridge, the first heated bridge in Sweden, is hourglass-shaped, tapering in the centre. The paint used on its
underside reflects the water of the river Motala Strom.
The bridge was made of prefabricated pieces, which were sandblasted, welded and transported to the site.
The Tullhus Bridge previously earned recognition in 2008 as part of an urban planning project that has been in the works
since the 1950s. The bridge-heating project was brought forward in 2008 after the architects were invited by the local
government to take part in an architectural competition.
Connecting an industrial dock area and a natural shoreline in the midst of the capital city and a nestled in recently
developed residential area, the bridge will continue to play an important role in the residents’ lives, allowing pedestrians
and cyclists to travel safely across.
For more information please visit http://designbuildsource.com.au/the-innovative-heated-tullhus-bridge)>http://designbuildsource.com.au/the-innovative-heated-tullhus-bridge