Bridge over the Aare by Christ & Gantenbein

With its elegantly curved arches and intriguing ovate openings, the new Aare Bridge by Christ & Gantenbein in Aarau is truly an eye-catcher. The overall concept included the design of the riverbank areas.     

A long tradition 

The bridge in Aarau, a small town halfway between Basel and Zurich, is a part of an important thoroughfare from the town's old quarter to the north and the Jura mountains. Since time immemorial there has been a river crossing at the location, albeit repeatedly renewed as the centuries passed. The new bridge replaces its predecessor from 1949, which was getting on in years.  

Structure 

The bridge consists of a reinforced concrete structure in which five arches of differing widths connect the two sides of the river. Two caissons let into the riverbed from the previous bridge serve as foundations for two of the arches. All the elements in the structural system help bear the weight of the bridge and altogether form a seamless construction. The ovate openings in the supports give the structure a light and airy look and provide views onto the water.  

Uniform material 

The structure's pared-back geometry and its use of apertures enabled sparing use of concrete. The respective aggregate harmoniously merges the material with its surroundings.

The bridge links the town's old quarter with the northern bank of the river. © Stefano Graziani

New connections, new urban spaces

The competition announced in 2009 stipulated a design concerning not only a new bridge but also the riverbanks and the transition area between the bridge itself and the town's old quarter. This the new bridge achieves by seamlessly continuing into ramp-like riverbank walls. The riverside promenade, urban space and bridge thus form an inseparable entity.

The clear design language makes the structure a new landmark. © Stefano Graziani

Standing in dialogue with its surroundings, the bridge displays moderate restraint yet also cuts a profile as a self-contained sculptural structure. With its clear form language, the river crossing can truly claim to be Aarau's new landmark.