The Onda Atlántica Pedestrian Bridge in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria represents a unique architectural and engineering work of art. 283 meters long, it stands out for its three bays without intermediate support, creating a feeling of lightness and openness.
In the heart of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, stands an architectural work that captures the gaze and imagination of visitors: the Onda Atlántica pedestrian bridge. Designed by Onda Arquitectura and Checa Arquitectura, this bridge stands out as an embodiment of lightness, innovation and structural beauty.
At an impressive 283 meters in length, the Onda Atlántica pedestrian bridge rises above public spaces with seemingly effortless grace. What is instantly captivating is the presence of three majestic spans of 63 meters each, extending without intermediate support, creating a sense of lightness and openness that defies expectations. Its sinuous shape, born from the need to respond to site challenges, not only integrates beautifully with the surrounding trees, but also enhances structural performance, allowing for a design without expansion joints.
The characteristic V-shape of the bridge is not only an expression of aesthetics, but also of functionality. This shape was conceived to mitigate the noise impact of the motorway below, while offering spectacular panoramic views of the city above and allowing the penetration of natural light along the entire route. The structure itself, viewed from certain angles, appears almost two-dimensional, creating an optical illusion of a curved sheet of paper. This result is the result of a highly innovative structural approach, based on an extremely efficient and unusual triangular profile in the world of bridge engineering. This profile allows the bridge to traverse curves and distances with surprising effectiveness, resulting in a visually striking minimalist aesthetic.
Functionality is just as essential as aesthetics. The Onda Atlántica bridge was designed to respond to the different needs of pedestrians, cyclists and users with reduced mobility, all in a single design and without differentiated elements such as stairs or auxiliary lifts. This infrastructure unifies and simplifies, making the bridge not just a connecting structure, but a highly relevant urban sculpture. The two squares that welcome the bridge landings have been redesigned so as to integrate harmoniously into the urban structure, transforming themselves into welcoming and suggestive public spaces.
But the Onda Atlántica bridge is much more than just a work of architectural art. It represents a step forward for the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in its ambition to develop the coastal area, connecting the beach of Las Canteras with the port area. This bridge represents the first step towards a new city development, transforming a need for connection into an opportunity to create exciting and functional public spaces.
It's not just about shape and design, but also about engineering and construction. The structure itself is inspired by marine engineering, with strategically placed ribs and frames connected by steel plates. This method enabled 18 structural elements, each weighing up to 40 tons, to be assembled at a metallurgical foundry and transported by ship to the site. This structure, with the exception of the railings, offers an outstanding structural performance, while a special three-layer coating with a metallic finish not only gives the bridge protection against the corrosive marine environment but also helps to blend it harmoniously with its surroundings.
Onda Arquitectura and Project Director, Javier Haddad, were the creative minds behind this architectural marvel. Javier Haddad, with his extensive experience and past working at internationally renowned companies and architectural firms, has helped bring to light a bridge that is much more than just a connecting structure. It has become a symbol of innovation, beauty and urban ambition, a vantage point that offers a new perspective on the city and a new crossing experience.
In conclusion, the Onda Atlántica pedestrian bridge represents the perfect marriage between architecture, engineering and urban design. Its apparent lightness, its sinuous shape and its functional solutions come together in a work that not only connects physical spaces, but also ideas and emotions. This bridge is not just a structure, but a statement of what architecture can achieve when blended with vision, innovation and passion.
project info
Project: Onda Atlantica Footbridge
Location: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SPAIN
Promoter: City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Architect: Onda Architecture + Checa Architecture
Website: www.onda-arquitectura.com
Team: Javier Haddad, Ramón Checa, Luis González, Carlos Fuente
Structural Engineer: IngZero – Ingenierií Zero
Structural Design Consultant: Feroher
Metallurgical Shop: Megusa
Budget: 3,054,000 euros (Footbridge) 876,307 euros (Plaza)
Length: 283m
Photo credits: Iwan Baan, Javier Haddad
