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

From<a href="http://inhabitat.com/philips-unveils-sexy-concept-bee-keeping-gadget/" target="_blank"> indoor beehives</a> to<a href="http://inhabitat.com/enjoy-the-last-week-of-summer-at-the-recycled-material-greenhouse-pavilion-in-the-netherlands/" target="_blank"> pop-up greenhouses</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.achterboscharchitectuur.nl/" target="_blank">Achterbosch Architectuur</a> (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.

Known for its rich maritime past, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneek" target="_blank">Sneek</a> 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. While steel bridges last nearly 55 years, and concrete 90 years, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accoya_wood" target="_blank">accoya wood</a> was chosen as the ideal material not only for its durability but also for its complete lack of CO2 emission, making it over 50% cleaner than other materials.

Accoya is artificially created from nearly any 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 <a href="http://www.fsc.org/" target="_blank">FSC</a> and<a href="http://www.pefc.org/" target="_blank"> PEFC certified</a> timber forests and is <a href="http://www.mbdc.com/detail.aspx?linkid=2&amp;sublink=8" target="_blank">Cradle to Cradle</a> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger_joint" target="_blank">finger jointed</a> together, requiring a minimal amount of additional material.