Skeidarvogs Highway Interchange

This project for a highway interchage superceeded an existing light controlled junction and was built without disrupting the flow of traffic. The junction is between a six lane primary road and a four lane secondary road with the major streams running South – East and conversely West to North. This imbalance led to a design solution with a free loop for traffic feeding in the S-E direction removing the need for any traffic control signals. Returning traffic flows simply take the ramp from primary to secondary road.

The ease of operation and efficiency of this system is reflected in the bridge design which is comprised of a long-span, post-tensioned concrete slab with a single column. To minimise the percived thickness of the slab the underside is curved. The upper periphery of the slab is champhered to meet the belly at mid-span to create a sharp arris. Along the length of the bridge the chamfer is twisted through 90° so that it lies flush with the outward leaning buttress walls. This movement simply binds the apparent weight of the sand-blasted buttresses with the unnatural lightness of the deck. The column is resoved in a similar manner; a solid tapering wall is obliquly cut to allow vision through its mass. The combined experience of these two moves is a bridge of particular lightness and grace.

A complex foot and bicycle trail cuts though the road system and routing with steps, ramps and underpasses was concieved as part of the total project. Safety and security was a paramount concern for able bodied, wheelchair users and cyclists. Definition between vehicular and pedestrian areas is clear, all areas are well lit with wide, open view angles and dark corners are eliminated. The pedistrian experience is further enhanced by sophisticated handrails and a rich planting regime.

Client : City Engineer of Reykjavík / Public Roads Administration
Architects : Studio Granda
Structural Engineers : Línuhönnun
Landscape architects : Landslagsarkitekar