Tartu Marja street bridge

2018 / III prize/

Category: Competition, Infrastructure, Public

Authors: Gert Guriev, Taavi Lõoke, Ilmar Valdur

In collaboration: Indrek Jaadla, Daniel Lõhmus

The Marja Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is the first bridge encountered when arriving in Tartu via the Emajõgi River. At this point, the city is just beginning, and the natural landscape still dominates over the urban environment along the river’s axis. The competition entry proposes an elegantly silhouetted bridge that blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings rather than standing out.

By integrating engineering and architectural concepts, a particularly slender bridge design has been achieved—composed of two simple, thin arches. As the bridge rises over the navigation channel in the middle of the river, users are offered expansive views along the waterway.

The bridge is designed perpendicular to the riverbanks, connecting the ends of Marja and Lubja streets as they extend toward the river. It begins directly from the river promenade on both banks, providing the most intuitive and user-friendly access. Streets are connected in the simplest possible way, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to transition smoothly from the promenade onto the bridge without disrupting the flow of those walking along the river.

With the construction of the bridge, the paths along Marja and Lubja streets have been reconstructed, guiding users through the green areas to the river and across the bridge. To emphasize this connection, a red-toned asphalt surface has been used for both the pathways and the bridge deck.

The design also considers the requirements of the navigation channel, ensuring that vessel traffic can continue to operate as it has before.