Guangzhou Pedestrian Bridge

In 2020, PEI Architects was commissioned by the city of Guangzhou to design a small but highly regarded project, the Guangzhou Pedestrian Bridge. Despite its small size, the carefully balanced and highly complex geometry turns this small jewel like structure into an important bridge along the riverfront.

LOCATION: Guangzhou, China

CLIENT: City of Guangzhou

SIZE: 615 SQ.M

STATUS: Completed 2022

CATEGORY: Government

The geometry of this small pedestrian bridge is virtually all curves and arches. Its curves and counter-curves shape creates a sculpture like object with three distinctive paths.

The central running path is defined by the structural arches that bow up and create the straight span of the bridge while the two sides are for pedestrians and for bicycle riders. These outward paths narrow and gently rise towards the middle to visually provide tension and relief while the central path follows the steeper up-and-down of the structural arch in continuous width.

Lights are recessed into the solid railings and illuminate its features and the paths.

The bridge is clad in wood panels to emphasize the solidity and to express its weight and sculptural quality. The buttressing ends of the central, structural spine are made of concrete to stress the anchoring forces.