Technopolis Bridges

The Science Park Technopolis was developed southeast of Delft as part of the ambitious Science Port Holland. Science Park Technopolis is a business park that focuses on research and development, in close cooperation with the Delft University of Technology, with the goal of becoming one of the most important knowledge hubs in Europe. This means that Technopolis uses the existing facilities and infrastructure between Rotterdam, Rotterdam Airport, TU Delft and Delft. Together with KAAN architects, Karres en Brands has developed an urban plan for the area.

The set of rules drawn up for the public space design provide a solid, yet simple framework for future developments. The landscape serves as the common spatial foundation that connects the buildings and creates a public space for meeting and interaction. The perception of water, rows of trees, air, reeds and flowering grasslands are accentuated with long straight paths and places of rest. A walk through this Dutch landscape among contemporary buildings offers an inspiring environment for modern businesses and educational institutions.

Within the urban plan, Karres en Brands designed five pedestrian bridges. The “smartest” of their kind, these bridges are equipped with sensors that measure temperature, acceleration, deformation and load. Some bridges have up to 38 sensors. Using an online platform, the bridge manager can gain direct insight into usage, temperature and load. This information is useful for making decisions on when to spread against ice, perform maintenance or carry out other management tasks.

The bridges are subtly integrated into the beautiful surrounding landscape. In one place, they are striking spatial elements that form a path across the water, but in another, they serve as “seating stairs” parallel to the water or as a hook in the landscape, thus highlighting the intersecting orthogonal paths and water structure. In places where the long straight paths cross the waterways, the bridges are not only understood as transition points, but also as meeting places. The slightly inclining banks “ask” for visibility under the bridge. In order to make the construction as slender as possible and be able to execute the ramp and bridge as a single whole, the bridges are made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP).