Fishermen’s footbridge on the Ljubljanica river

The competition for the new Fish Footbridge in Ljubljana was launched at a time when the economic crisis in Slovenia was at its peak. As a result, more than 80 proposals were submitted to the call, a record for participation in public national competitions.

The series of Plečnik’s bridges that line the most picturesque part of the Ljubljanica riverbed is difficult to complement in terms of content and art with a new one, created in such historically different circumstances. Even if the location of t. i. The Fishbridge was already planned by Plečnik, and as it connects two important city environments, Gerber’s Staircase and Fish Square, its placement requires serious consideration.

The Ljubljanica River bends significantly at this point, and the crossing point is also a vantage point for a view of the two most iconic bridges, the Tromostovje and the Čevljarski Most. In designing the river crossing, we took the view that it is not only defined by movement, but also by a place to stop and a more intimate experience of the city. In the same way that Plečnik recognised in the bridge infrastructure above all the opportunity for the space above the water to become a new public urban space, we have designed a structure that is at once dynamic and static. The structure combines the principles of an arch and a chainstay, and is reinforced in the central axis by a bar beam in an elliptical shape. The chain is lowered low over the river, bringing the visitor closer to the experience of the surface, the Triumvirate is then lowered to the observer’s point of view and shines in the view shared with the river barges. The space of movement expands, like a theatre stage, clearly oriented towards a key vista and consequently intended for stopping and socialising. The arch rises slightly above the level of the bridge entrance and above all provides a fast and traffic separated crossing for cyclists and all those who want to get to the other side as quickly as possible.

The second prize in the competition was a great recognition for us, even though it was a completely different project that won. The competition jury recognised the importance of a clear reflection on the role of new interventions in the urban space, as well as the ability to choose a contemporary, structurally bold form for it.

Authors: BLENKUŠ Matej; CIMPERMAN Katja; FLORIJANČIČ Miloš; ZORC Mitja; MLAKAR Rok; PIKELJ Andreja; CVETREŽNIK Anja; KOBAL Vita; MEJAK Matej