Dezeen Magazine

Quivering wire crossing by bureau faceB wins Paris bridge competition

News: French practice bureau faceB has won a competition to design a bridge across the Seine in Paris with plans for a wobbling crossing of stretched steel cables.

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

Concrete treads would be threaded over the cables, creating a surface that will quiver under the pressure of footsteps.

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

"In Paris, people don't feel the water," architect Camille Mourier told Dezeen. "We wanted people to feel that they are crossing."

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

Each cable would be strung onto springs to prevent too much movement.

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

Traversing the river on either side of the Île de la Cité, the new bridge would be split into two separate halves.

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

On the southern side of the island, part of the bridge would be pulled down towards the water to create a stepped area where Mourier hopes people will be able to "sit down and have a sandwich".

Water At-traction by bureau faceB

Section - click above for larger image

Only a narrow pathway would be left to run alongside these steps, which the architects compare to a perilous Himalayan footbridge.

See more stories about bridges, including one that doubles up as a musical instrument.

Here's a project description from bureau faceB:


Water "At-traction"
A pedestrian bridge to stroll along the water

It's in the heart of the city. One of its major attractions. However, you can barely feel it. Maybe on a boat, a little bit on bridges, anyway without intimacy. On the contrary La Seine has to be seen as an out of time place, telling you stories and history. A link through time and space: the water attraction.

This new bridge has to be seen as a light stroke, a thin roadway flirting with the water. Instead of using traditional technics based on compression, it uses a new design, using the potential of traction. Steel cables, strung between the banks by springs, generate a mesh on which concrete beads are threaded.

This fluent area enables new uses. The crossing can be done in two ways. Through a "perilous" one: the very narrow deck gives the feeling of an Himalayan footbridge. Through a space for strolling: the generous space near the water allows to sit, to rest quietly, having lunch, enjoying the proximity of the river and offering a unique perspective on Paris.

Project team: Camille Mourier, François Marcuz, Arnaud Malras, Germain Pluvinage