As timber’s use becomes more prevalent in projects in recent times, The Construction Specifier highlights a project from Providence, Rhode Island. The Van Leesten Memorial Bridge, connecting eastern and western Providence, was crafted by a specialized carpentry technique used to shape dense timber into curved form.
According to the project’s architect, INFORM studio, to achieve precise tolerances between the design concept and the final construction, several architectural elements of the project relied on digital fabrication.
Working in close collaboration with a specialized digital fabrication team from SITU Fabrication, the design team meticulously developed the component details, ensuring their seamless integration with the overall superstructure. Utilizing parametric tools, the team efficiently designed the internal structure for each panel, allowing for modularization without compromising the unique form and outer surface curves.
This approach expedited the production schedule, while minimizing material waste and costs. Given the challenge of working with dense woods that are resistant to steam-bending, the fabrication team employed kerfing. By cutting notches into the wood from the backside, the team enhanced each board’s flexibility, enabling them to achieve the desired curved profile without sacrificing structural integrity.
The Van Leesten Memorial Bridge links five prominent neighborhoods and institutions in the city. As a pedestrian center, the bridge not only serves as a practical connector, but it also fosters community connection and social engagement among city residents through various programmatic interventions.
The design of the pedestrian bridge was based on considerations such as programming, access orientation, and views of the urban and natural landscapes, as well as the contrast between Providence’s history and its future of innovation. The structure drew inspiration from 17th and 18th century tall ships and late 19th and early 20th century jewelry factories, utilizing modern computational design and digital fabrication techniques to incorporate timber construction. Granite and wood materials merge seamlessly to create a substantial yet fluid ground plane. The innovative re-use of existing highway piers has set a precedent for future bridge projects, demonstrating the potential of repurposing abandoned public infrastructure.
The programming of the bridge opened opportunities for educating residents and visitors about the history and ecology of the Providence, Seekonk, and Taunton Rivers, as well as the Narragansett Bay. The bridge design considered the city’s momentum in developing arts, culture, and tourism, as well as various events and festivals that celebrate the city’s past, present, and future. The design of the bridge creates occupiable zones that maintain a connected urban space from Downtown Providence, the Jewelry/Innovation District, to the West Waterfront Park and the East Waterfront Park. The following are the features of the bridge:
- Terraced gardens. Located between the upper and lower bridge decks, the terraced gardens create a blend of park and bridge, blurring the boundary between the two.
- Panoramic view benches. Scattered across the bridge, these seating zones offer viewing spots, aligned with the meeting point of the rivers and the city skyline to the north, as well as the Point Street Bridge & I-195 crossing to the south.
- Busker terrace. A cascading terrace to the south provides an ideal space for seated views with maximum sun exposure.
- Riverside sundeck. Positioned close to the water’s edge, facing south and unobstructed, the deck provides a direct connection to the flowing river below.
- Fishing piers. Easy access to the existing piers allows locals to enjoy proximity to the water for fishing and other waterfront activities.
The lighting design of the Providence River pedestrian bridge aimed to establish it as a landmark within the community, while ensuring safety through a subtle lighting strategy. Indirect and concealed integral light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures were used to implement a lighting design strategy, including handrail lighting, accent lighting for the bridge, underside, and terrace tiers, and concealed accent lighting for benches and tables. In addition, LED bollard lighting was incorporated into the garden planters as well.
Other collaborators on the project were:
Structural engineer, Buro Happold; landscape architect, BETA Group; electrical engineer, CJL Engineering; and the general contractor, Daniel O’Connell’s Sons.
