A New Connection: The Wooden Bridge in Paris

topos Editorial Team

The first wooden bridge in Paris to cross a motorway. Photo: Michel Denancé

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With new wooden bridge over the A1 motorway, the Société de livraison des ouvrages olympiques (SOLIDEO) has created a connection linking the media village in Dugny with the sports and school park in Le Bourget. The planning and construction were carried out by the engineering firm Miebach from Lohmar and AIA Life Designers in collaboration with Explorations Architecture. The bridge remains a permanent crossing and improves access to Parc Georges-Valbon, the third-largest green space in the Île-de-France region.

An Timber Structure in France

The 100-meter-long bridge is a unique feature in French bridge construction, as timber is rarely used for large-scale engineering structures. The engineering firm Miebach contributed its expertise to the project, working with the French firm AIA Life Designers. Together with Explorations Architecture, they won the competition for the bridge’s construction in 2020.

The structure consists of a three-span beam bridge with a stepped support system made of block-glued laminated timber. The roadway surface was built from prefabricated concrete elements, the railing is made of architecturally shaped round steel, and the handrail is made of steel. In total, around 330 cubic meters of laminated Douglas fir timber from France were used.

Safety and Durability

Despite common concerns about the durability of wooden bridges, load tests confirmed the high resistance of the structure. The bridge is designed to withstand a two-hour fire on the motorway below. While steel loses its load-bearing capacity when exposed to heat, wood forms a protective carbonized layer that preserves its internal structure.

The architectural design also ensures a high level of structural protection for the timber. A 30-centimeter overhanging concrete edge and 30-degree inclined beam edges shield the wood from direct rainfall.

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Sculptural Elegance

The bridge’s design is both minimalist and sculptural, inspired by the Minimal Art of artist Carl Andre. Two inclined piers give the structure a dynamic appearance, emerging from the wooded surroundings. The lines in both the ground plan and elevation were carefully designed to create balanced proportions.

Another reference for the design was a wooden bridge in Neckartenzlingen, Germany, also built by IB Miebach. Like in Paris, an inclined support element defines its visual character.

Sustainability as a Guiding Principle

In line with the sustainability goals of the Olympic Games, the bridge was designed with a focus on its carbon footprint. The timber construction significantly reduces CO₂ emissions compared to conventional materials. The Douglas fir used originates from sustainably managed forests in the Morvan region of France.

Concrete was only used for the foundations, piers, and abutments. A light-colored road surface minimizes heat absorption from sunlight, while dense vegetation surrounding the bridge helps mitigate the urban heat island effect. Excavated material from other construction projects in Paris was reused for embankments. In total, the project’s carbon footprint amounts to 1,100 tons of CO₂ equivalent.

A Sustainable Legacy

The wooden bridge in Paris is an example of a construction approach that balances aesthetic, functional, and ecological requirements. It connects urban areas and improves access to green spaces. The structure demonstrates the potential of timber in bridge construction and serves as a reference for sustainable infrastructure projects in urban environments.