ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Piezoelectric Inertia Bridge in Tianmen, China by Margot Krasojević ArchitectsNovember 29th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Margot Krasojević Architects The suspension footbridge in Tianmen, China, spans two mountains, and its design simulates that of the surrounding snow-capped mountain landscape. Further, it responds to the cloud-edge effect, capturing direct and reflected light to increase solar energy production. On cloudy days, its solar panels absorb diffused as well as reflective light, so that this bridge can achieve maximum exposure to solar energy. Moreover, its canopy is clad and fabricated with a highly reflective shifting carbon-fibre aluminium composite embedded with photovoltaic and piezoelectric cells. Pedestrians have a birds-eye aerial view that changes with the weather, anticipating cloud-breaks and expanding horizon lines. The bridge stands at a height of 650 feet above the ground, wherein the design creates an illusion to camouflage it amidst the clouds and environment.  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects
 Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects Maintaining static equilibrium balance and counterbalance is of structural importance, as the height, along with the exposure to elements, creates an unstable environment to design for. Additionally, rotational inertia is of primary concern, and integrating swinging cantilevered walkway lengths stabilises the structure as well as increases the moment of inertia without making it rigid, rather like the experience of a tightrope walker. The design moves and sways gently, which is a choreographed response to the upward air movement and cloud formation, offering pedestrians with not only spectacular views but also exposure to the very nature of the site, which can be intimidating at times.  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects Further, two interlaced footpaths are suspended from the structural axes of rotation, which dislocate and shift to rebalance the bridge, thus allowing for a safe crossing. Significantly, the canopy structure fragments in order to recalibrate the shifting weights, along the bridge’s cross-section, in a more efficient manner. This counterbalance is directed by the bridge’s pendulum weights suspended beneath the structure, which tighten and shift to restore equilibrium and maintain structural stability. Moreover, balance is retained and controlled by the cantilevered elements that swing slowly and methodically to reinstate the bridge to a stable horizontal position. Design inspirations in this regard include a collapsible push puppet similar to the suspended pendulums, which when in tension due to the bridge’s natural movements, tighten and restrain the structure, enough to prevent it from revolving around its main frame, by retaining the moment of inertia.  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects The canopy’s dislocating fragments are clad with a carbon-fibre reinforced aluminium composite, which is lighter than aluminium for its weightlessness and is flexible enough for the cantilevered movements yet stronger than steel. This helps in limiting wear and tear, in addition to providing stability through 45-degree torsions and adapting to the external forces of the cantilever frames’ movements, whilst accommodating complex shifting shapes. The shifting canopy elements resemble solar kites embedded with photovoltaic cells; these are lightweight, durable, non-corrosive and highly reflective, thus creating a continuous surface cantilevered from the primary axial structure. Applying semi-conductor piezoelectric crystal cells as a gate voltage to the design, by embedding them within the canopy and walkway, generates electricity through resistance and direct pressure.  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects  Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects Image Courtesy © Margot Krasojević Architects
Contact Margot Krasojević Architects
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
|
|||||
email
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feed
