CDOT Movable and Bascule Bridges Rehabilitation
An infrastructure precedent illustrating the integration of a historic masonry operator house with heavy steel bascule bridge framing along an urban river edge.
- What we like about this project
- A small yellow cylindrical buoy sits in the water directly beneath the heavy dark span, providing a sharp color contrast.
Materials
- stone-masonry
- painted-steel
- concrete
- clay-tile
- glass
Visual identifiers
- bascule-bridge
- steel-truss
- masonry-operator-house
- riverfront-infrastructure
Style tags
- industrial
- historic
- infrastructure
- beaux-arts
Visual tags
- infrastructure
- historic-preservation
- waterfront
- bridge
- heavy-steel
- urban-context
- Geometry
- Asymmetrical composition balancing a heavy masonry operator house on the left pier against the long horizontal steel truss bridge span crossing the river.
- Facade system
- Heavy stone masonry pier walls with punched rectangular window openings and a tiled hip roof on the tender cabin.
- Structural guess
- Heavy stone foundation pier supporting a riveted steel truss movable bridge superstructure.
- Spatial scale
- Monumental urban scale; the multi-story bridge tender house and massive truss frame dwarf human figures on the walkway.
- Lighting
- Bright midday sunlight with sharp, high-contrast shadows cast by the bridge trusses and operator house reveals.
- Atmosphere
- Industrial grandeur combined with civic waterfront activity under clear daylight.
- Environmental context
- Urban riverfront setting featuring historic infrastructure, concrete quays, and high-rise commercial architecture in the background.
- Spatial experience
- The urban waterfront is tightly framed by the masonry pier, bridge deck, and the monumental backdrop of the historic Merchandise Mart.
- Composition rhythm
- Repeating diagonals of the red steel bridge truss structure juxtaposed with vertical fenestration and horizontal masonry bands.
- Style reading
- Historic industrial infrastructure
- Program
- Movable bridge infrastructure and pedestrian/vehicular crossing
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture
- Materials
- stone-masonry, painted-steel, concrete, clay-tile, glass
- Visual identifiers
- bascule-bridge, steel-truss, masonry-operator-house, riverfront-infrastructure
- Style tags
- industrial, historic, infrastructure, beaux-arts
- Visual tags
- infrastructure, historic-preservation, waterfront, bridge, heavy-steel, urban-context
- Geometry
- Asymmetrical composition balancing a heavy masonry operator house on the left pier against the long horizontal steel truss bridge span crossing the river.
- Facade system
- Heavy stone masonry pier walls with punched rectangular window openings and a tiled hip roof on the tender cabin.
- Structural guess
- Heavy stone foundation pier supporting a riveted steel truss movable bridge superstructure.
- Spatial scale
- Monumental urban scale; the multi-story bridge tender house and massive truss frame dwarf human figures on the walkway.
- Lighting
- Bright midday sunlight with sharp, high-contrast shadows cast by the bridge trusses and operator house reveals.
- Atmosphere
- Industrial grandeur combined with civic waterfront activity under clear daylight.
- Environmental context
- Urban riverfront setting featuring historic infrastructure, concrete quays, and high-rise commercial architecture in the background.
- Spatial experience
- The urban waterfront is tightly framed by the masonry pier, bridge deck, and the monumental backdrop of the historic Merchandise Mart.
- Composition rhythm
- Repeating diagonals of the red steel bridge truss structure juxtaposed with vertical fenestration and horizontal masonry bands.
- Style reading
- Historic industrial infrastructure
- Program
- Movable bridge infrastructure and pedestrian/vehicular crossing
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture