The new pedestrian bridges at the docks reveal the changing landscape of the Old Docks. Reading the site is complex due to the ongoing redevelopment of the surroundings. The nature of the bicycle and pedestrian bridges arises from the only points of recognition on the site: the water, the quay, and the passing ships. Dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians, the area’s final design features three bridges for bikes and foot traffic that connect the two sides of the canal, bridging the gap between the two communities. These structures resemble horizontal platforms, much like piers along a dock.

The first achieved bridge at the Oude Dokken in Ghent requires a doubling of the pillars with a distance of 8 meters between their axes. The main structure consists of two parallel painted steel caisson beams, which are placed perpendicular to the pillars. A system of cross-beams connects the caisson beams and allows the wooden decking to be supported and the railing to be attached. The cross-beams for the intermediate support points of the wooden cladding are T-profiles.

The lifting mechanism consists of two parallel jacks at each end of the central span. A single foundation mass contains the two jacks to avoid differential displacements.

Length of the bridge: 110m
Length of the central span: 15m
Length of the lateral movable spans: 25m
Navigation windows: 8.80m and 7.00m


Lead Architects: Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes
Engineers: Technum