Cantilevered footbridge proposal in Pafos, Cyprus by EP Architects

Elina Pattichi of Cypriot firm EP Architects shared with us the competition-winning proposal of a cantilevered footbridge in Pafos, Cyprus, which earlier this year, received Special Judges’ Recognition in the 2013 MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards.

Primarily recognized for its reinterpretation of the cantilever, the footbridge was awarded in the category un-built regeneration - master planning projects — winning against 200 competing firms that included UNStudio and AEDAS.

EP Architects sent us the details on the project, which can be found right below.

Project description from EP Architects:

"The project is a result of a European architectural competition which was organized by Pafos Municipality in 2011 in Cyprus. EP Architects’ two proposals for this competition received the first award and second award."

"The first award which will be realized by Pafos Municipality will connect two schools with the adjacent neighborhoods across the avenue, while creating a landmark in Pafos city and a station for pedestrians and cyclists"

"The footbridge form and curvature was based on the circulation diagram of the pedestrians and cyclists. A curved gesture in plan connects the two sidewalks while it ensures the direct flow of circulation across the road between the adjacent schools and the residential areas."

"Due to the limited space of the plot in the southwest side of the road, a scale and an elevator are proposed for the vertical circulation. Considering the cyclist circulation a 40cm gap by the stairs is used for cyclist dismount."

"In the bridge’s north edge, a ramp leads directly to the school’s courtyard and a second ramp leads to the adjacent road. In the middle of the footbridge two stairwells lead to the level of the road’s northeast sidewalk."

"The unique characteristic of this proposal is that the construction method aims to integrate through surface design the support system with the functional elements of the footbridge."

"The footbridge’s parapets enhance the structural performance of the bridge’s span and the stairwells and ramps become an integral part of the footbridge support system. The rest of the footbridge surfaces behave as cantilever."

Images courtesy of EP Architects.

Click the thumbnails below for additional images and section elevations.