FVAI designed the footbridge as a lightweight structure, with a geometry and orientation that favour pedestrian and cyclist routes, framing views of the river and the surrounding orchards while avoiding direct views of nearby homes. The project fosters a direct relationship between city and nature, incorporating green spaces and contributing to urban regeneration.
The structural solution leverages the possibilities of rolled steel through a fully metallic orthotropic deck, composed of stiffened plates and a lateral box girder that creates a robust L-shaped section. The deck and girder function as a single system, optimizing material use and ensuring high rigidity. The exclusive use of steel, which is recyclable and reusable, eliminates concrete from the deck and improves its carbon footprint.
Molina de Segura footbridge by FVAI. Photography by Milena Villalba.
Project description by FVAI Estructuras Arquitecturas
The new footbridge in Molina de Segura designed by FVAI Estructuras Arquitecturas is a project in which a team of engineers, architects, draughtsmen and economists have worked with care and generosity on the transformation of the territory that this infrastructure entails.
The project is located at a strategic point of connection between the urban fabric and the banks of the Segura. The intervention provides a comprehensive solution to the convergence of several roads, shaping a node that answers the initial challenge: to provide the San Roque neighbourhood with new public spaces and green areas.
The proposed footbridge is conceived as a light, efficient element that makes the most of the structural possibilities of rolled steel. An entirely metallic orthotropic deck has been designed, formed by upper and lower plates joined by stiffeners, together with a lateral box girder that produces an L-shaped resisting section. This arrangement optimises the material and gives the whole a high stiffness, with deck and girder working as a single structural system.
Thanks to this configuration, the structure achieves a balance between functionality, efficiency and aesthetics. The variable section and the orientation of the deck frame the views towards the market gardens and the channel of the Segura, heightening the dialogue between structure and landscape.
The exclusive use of steel brings notable advantages in terms of sustainability: it is a recyclable and reusable material, with a long service life and a low environmental impact. By eliminating the use of concrete in the deck, the emissions associated with that material are removed entirely, contributing to a solution that is more respectful of its surroundings.
The integration of the footbridge within its urban and natural setting has been a priority throughout the design process. Visually, the footbridge reads as a light piece embedded in the river landscape. Its orientation and geometry generate engaging routes. Its design avoids direct views towards the nearby dwellings and opens up to the panoramas of the river and the market gardens, reducing its visual impact and enhancing the experience of the pedestrian journey.
