Submission 9: Peter Bowyer - "Worm"

[3Dementia]

Designer: Peter Bowyer

Bridge Type: box truss

Project Description: see below

Poll: attached

Images: attached

DESCRIPTION

Project Name: Worm

Worm is an idea for an unusually long sculpture that will span over three hundred feet of
railway gorge in downtown Toronto. White panels bolted onto a floating frame of
galvanized steel, encase a pre installed box truss pedestrian bridge. Optically complex,
the piece weaves positive and negative space into a horizontal stretch pattern. Viewed
from the outside, the movement of pedestrians and bicycles across the sculpture should
produce an animated flicker. Traveling on the inside, the structure will create a
kaleidoscopic experience of light and shadow. The panels will allow fragmented amounts
of shelter from extreme weather during the day and lighting opportunities at night.
Functioning as an animated three-dimensional banner for arriving trains and a welcome
boulevard for cyclists and pedestrians.
The box truss bridge would be a standard design, slightly reinforced for weight and wind
load. The sculpture encasing the truss bridge would be made from galvanized steel and
sealed plywood, using the same engineering and weather proofing standards that are
found in highway signs and billboards. Open sections of the bridge may need to be
closed off in areas with Plexiglas screens. Standard building and municipal codes would
direct the design of all ramps and railings.

IMAGES

 

[andomano]

This design makes me think about the OCAD (Sharp Centre for Design) monstrosity. Anybody else?

 

[Uncle Teddy]

Looks great.

 

[SP!RE]

Doesn't look particularly friendly or inviting but it is a very tasteful, modern design that wouldn't cost much to construct either (compared to some methods).

 

[junctionist]

I'd prefer it without the white panels on the sides for less interruptions to the view.

 

[Whoaccio]

Its well designed, but I would be worried about aging. It might end up looking like FCP.

 

[ProjectEnd]

I'd prefer it without the white panels on the sides for less interruptions to the view.

Soooooooo.....you want a box truss...?

 

[Long Island Mike]

Submission 9-Not Bad!

3D: This is a neat bridge design-the only question I have will the sides be closed with glass or open air? LI MIKE

 

[khris]

3D: This is a neat bridge design-the only question I have will the sides be closed with glass or open air? LI MIKE

People seem to be very confused with the submissions. I've seen several people who think 3D is the person who designed all of them. The designer is listed at the top of the submission.

 

[ShonTron]

This reminds me a lot like the older bridge overpass between Front Street and the base of the CN tower (or the Weber's bridge). I think part of the problem as well is the lack of sightlines, which is important for safety.

 

[junctionist]

Soooooooo.....you want a box truss...?

Less is more.

 

[Solaris]

clean modern design ... I like it ~ and financially likely viable too

 

[insertrealname]

This is an elegant, straightforward functional design, but don't we want something with a bit more disruptive potential?

Not useless curlicues, but something to distract the eye from the monotony of railroad tracks, roads, massive glassy condo blocks, etc., both while looking at it and travelling through it?

 

[martincan]

Worm?

Why'd you call it "Worm"? It's not a bit like a worm though I do like it. I feel you could amp up the optical effects if it had squeezed squares in other places than the ends. Not just one stretched area through the middle, more like compression waves over the whole length.
Good luck.
M

 

[syn]

I like the reference to OCAD, but I think it could use less white paneling and a greater width.