Investigating the Brooklyn Bridge (Part 2 of 2)

Van Alen Institute launched an open competition to reimagine Brooklyn Bridge. This article uses initial thoughts and leads to a vision to rethink one of NYC’s most important landmarks.

Reflection on the bridge as part of the historical legacy of the city implies thinking of the public perception, stories, and experiences that people from New York and abroad have accumulated over time. The study enables the conjuring of curiosity and encourages a re-invitation to the users’ memory. Transforming the bridge may imply reorganization, infrastructural change or innovation, and empowers designers, architects, artists or ethnographers to enhance the public experience; inviting them to experience this known-by-heart place and create a medium for the re-imagining of a historical piece of infrastructure.

See part 1 to the investigation here https://medium.com/re-s-public-collective/investigating-the-brooklyn-bridge-part-1-of-2-8e874b4c0631

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The design looks to address the needs of pedestrians and cyclists for a rejuvenated harmony through acknowledgement of the commuter and the explorer. Naturally, the form resembles the unfolding and reflection of the catenary curves of the elevation, nurturing social gathering at the two towers. The large voids of the deck create visual connections from the vehicular commuters below, meanwhile allowing visitors to meander the platform and experience unique views to the east river below.

HISTORY

The proposal looks to further explore the iconic status of the bridge by taking inspiration from its hybrid cable-stayed/suspension structure. This unfolding and reflection of the catenary curves place emphasis on the two towers, acknowledging a relationship of gathering that currently exists. Using the limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement material of John Augustus Roebling’s original design, the extension of the towers along the secondary axis creates a visual connection to the historical nature of the bridge. Regarding safety and utility, the implementation of a separate bike path allows the implementation of sculptural roundabouts at the towers.

INSPIRATION

The bridge’s spatiality has not adapted over time as many spaces across the city. As the volume of users has shifted and multiplied, re-imagination is needed to redesign its social and functional experience. A fortiori when it comes to places we only move across and barely spend time or attention. Bringing inspiration to daily paths can enhance our ordinary journeys.

COVID-19 has started to change our interpretation of space and gathering in a time where density is not only being viewed as a social construct but one of health. Also, it makes us more aware of the way we coexist.

ACCESS AND SAFETY

We documented the experience of the bridge on an April Saturday afternoon and found that the bridge is overcrowded with a diverse range of people. Concerning weekday’s rush hours, while the number of pedestrians is overwhelming, yet, the bridge also welcomes cyclists on their commute. Analysing the statistics, we noticed that the movement is directional, time-based and shows a two-range of speed. Our proposal offers to differentiate walkways from the cyclist's paths. The bike’s path would be elevated, granting its users a safer experience and an enhanced fluidity, allowing them to cross the bridge in a straight line with no pedestrian interruption.

In addition, we propose to build an extension supported by the stable area around the pillars and held by a system of cables. This space will enable to spread the visitors across the four extensions, and hence diminish the density per square meter. We aim to occupy these new areas by allowing artistic activities. By creating an entertaining interaction, the bridge will offer an added value. Besides, to allow natural light to penetrate this pedestrian path, creative design of holes from the above-elevated path is proposed.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT & SECURITY

Concerned by the carbon footprint of this new infrastructure, we aimed at using as much as possible environmentally-friendly materials. Drawing upon New York’s athletic culture and dedication to eliminating single-use plastics, we have implemented the use of recycled plastic concrete for the extensions of the bridge and recycled athletic shoe-material for the bike lane as well as other areas scattered throughout. Also, we aim to dedicate some space with the goal to simulate an urban farm collective experience. We envision these green areas to host children’s playgrounds and hence to offer the appropriate space to reconnect with nature, even in this urban setting. This greenery also provides outdoor thermal comfort for the pedestrian. To further thermal comfort, the concrete deck has a high SRI rating to reduce the urban heat island effect.

By separating the flow of different users and expanding the bridge’s surface inside out, the idea of expanding the bridge’s surface allows for better and more secure commuting and mobility for each of the users. Cars continue to circulate in the existing bridge, and cyclists can fully occupy the sidewalk. That gives a safe space for higher speed circulation: protecting cyclists from cars, and pedestrians from cyclists. Breaking up spaces for different speeds of circulation demands further expansion for pedestrians.

Our proposal envisions a spanning suspended expansion, that on one hand reinforces the structural character of the bridge, and on the other provides space for hosting a safe, diverse, and aesthetic experience for the passerby.

FEASIBILITY

The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge, spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Our proposal furthers the hybrid structure in the main and the secondary axis, allowing the bridge to “spread” both structurally and programmatically.

The bridge, being symmetrical allows the gravity loads to equally distribute to both sides of the towers. The largest offset from the axis also is driven by a reflection of the catenary curves of the original design, places the greatest load at the towers, which are an impressive 140 by 59 feet and are built of limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement.

The proposed addition consists of lightweight concrete on profiled metal decking supported by long-span beams (working compositely with the slab) at regular centres. Girders supporting the beams then transfer the gravity loads to its Neo-Gothic stone towers.

For the original structure, It was coincidental that the open truss structure supporting the deck is, by its nature, subject to fewer aerodynamic problems. The porosity of the new deck builds on this concept; allowing the winds to flow from beneath through large penetrations, which also serves as circulation drivers, seating areas and viewing platforms to the river below.

THOUGHTS

What the proposal aims to provide is both an enhancement and an extension of the current microcosms of the bridge. Currently, The bridge’s spatiality between different users has not adapted over time. As the volume of users has shifted and multiplied, reimagination is needed in the way that the bridge is socially and functionally experienced. The flow of people passing by generates an opportunity for small scale economic activity, which is already currently taking place. The design aims to further this social gesture, without sacrificing, but enhancing qualities and narratives of space of those of various needs, while providing opportunities for new activities of various concentrations and movement.

Project Team: Kiproula Bartzoka Rime Cherai Nuria Benítez Gómez Moritz Dittrich Jon Gayomali