I am fascinated with the sense of space in Venice; never had I experienced a community built on the water in the way Venice is. With the idea of the sidewalk or outdoor transition space eliminated the water acts as the sidewalk.
Place + Materials
Inspired by Carlos Scarpa’s treatment of the invisible connection between steps. Each riser of the Tide’s Bridge has a reveal underneath which gives the sense of floating. I envisioned a bridge with each step levitating weightlessly above the water. That rises and falls like the tide.
Design + Materials
The site for this bridge along the Rio de S.M. Formosa is situated low to the water level. In order to be able to ensure the passing of gondolas and other water traffic the bridge is suspended using a counterweight system. This allows for effortless raising and lowering of the bridge. The steps are a thin stone connected to a steel frame that is balanced with steel cables.
