Svitava Bridge, Brno, Czech Republic

In April 2022 WMA won an open international competition for a new bridge over the Svitava river in Brno, Czech Republic. The site is in a post-industrial area north of the city centre, soon to be transformed into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood.

Designed in partnership with Buro Happold, the bridge consists of two cantilevered integral side spans connected in the middle by a central span supported on shelves. The main longitudinal steel girders consist of welded trapezoidal sections of variable height, supported by double V-shaped piers made of reinforced concrete.

The bridge will continue a newly planned street on the north bank, connecting it to the south bank, where a former industrial estate will be regenerated into a new cultural hub. Running alongside the chimney tower of Briess Malthouse, which will be saved as an emblem of the area’s industrial heritage