The bridge called "Arganzuela" is intended for pedestrians and bicyclists. It is constructed over the Manzanares river and connects Arganzuela district (one of the central ones in Madrid) and quickly developing Carabanchel district.
It was the first bridge designed by Dominique Parrault, one of the most prominent architect-designers in Europe. His architecture is sometimes called eco-tech.
The construction of Parrault, is now a part of a new park Arganzuela. Some time ago along the river there went the ring road, and the role of this territory as a leisure zone was minimal. In 2000s the authorities of Madrid decided to "hide" the highway in a tunnel, and give 23 hectares of the ground for a park.
On the whole, the construction represents the pipe of two parallel spirals: they are the bearing structure of the construction. One of the "space "ribbons" is left empty, another one is covered with a metal net, the favourite material of Parrault. Such solution provides protection from the sun and the wind and gives enough light.
The bridge construction consists of two "cones": the first one connects the banks of the river and ends on a little hill and the second one, that continues the first, goes down from that hill to the level of the nearest street. The spacing in the place where these two parts meet forms an observation area giving nice views.
via ruwhitejaguar