OAK’s Accoya Wood Sneek Bridge Has an Upturned Boat Shape That Captures the Region’s Maritime Spirit

Posted By Molly Cotter On November 21, 2011 @ 12:08 pm In Architecture,gallery,Sustainable Building | No Comments

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From indoor beehives ^[6] to pop-up greenhouses ^[7], the Netherlands has proven to be a hot spot for innovative green design - and the latest addition to the country's incredible resume of environmental architecture is this boat-themed wooden highway bridge. Designed by collaborators Onix and Achterbosch Architectuur ^[8] (OAK) and made of ultra-durable and long-lasting Accoya wood, the city marker bridge is an eye-catching super structure that warmly welcomes passersby.

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Known for its rich maritime past, Sneek ^[10] wanted the town’s entry bridge to be a symbol of its history. OAK’s woven wood design representing an upturned boat beat out hundreds of others in a regional competition for the landmark. All bridges in the Netherlands must meet a minimum 80 year lifespan requirement and while steel bridges last nearly 55 years, and concrete 90 years, accoya wood ^[11] was chosen as the ideal material not only for its durability but also for its complete lack of CO2 emissions, making it over 50% cleaner than other materials.

Accoya is artificially created from nearly every other natural wood source. It goes through a non-toxic modification process that prevents fungal decay and makes it incredibly stable. The material itself is sourced entirely from FSC ^[12] and PEFC certified ^[13] timber forests and is Cradle to Cradle ^[14] Gold certified.

The whole bridge, measuring 1,134 meters including two traffic lanes and a bike lane, used only 1,200 cubic meters of accoya wood. Manufactured offsite and then craned into place, the supporting beams of the bridge are finger jointed ^[15] together, requiring a minimal amount of additional material.

+ Achterbosch Architectuur ^[8]

Via archdaily ^[16]

Images via Achterbosch Architectuur

Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com

URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/oaks-accoya-wood-sneek-bridge-captures-the-regions-maritime-spirit-with-its-upturned-boat-design/

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[5]  : http://inhabitat.com/oaks-accoya-wood-sneek-bridge-captures-the-regions-maritime-spirit-with-its-upturned-boat-design/achterbosch-sneek-bridge3/?extend=1

[6] indoor beehives: http://inhabitat.com/philips-unveils-sexy-concept-bee-keeping-gadget/

[7] pop-up greenhouses: http://inhabitat.com/enjoy-the-last-week-of-summer-at-the-recycled-material-greenhouse-pavilion-in-the-netherlands/

[8] Achterbosch Architectuur: http://www.achterboscharchitectuur.nl/

[9] Image: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=326124

[10] Sneek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneek

[11] accoya wood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accoya_wood

[12] FSC: http://www.fsc.org/

[13] PEFC certified: http://www.pefc.org/

[14] Cradle to Cradle: http://www.mbdc.com/detail.aspx?linkid=2&sublink=8

[15] finger jointed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_joint

[16] archdaily: http://www.archdaily.com/184653/sneek-bridge-achterbosch-architectuur-with-onix/

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