The client, Assen City Council, asked for an appealing bridge design, a moveable bridge that would emphasize its function as a gateway to the city centre. We took this wish as a starting point and designed a befitting 23-meter high modern version of the traditional Dutch drawbridge.
Structure The bridge has just one tower instead of two and the counterweight is located at the top of the tower. When the bridge is drawn, the counterweight disappears into the tower, with tower, counterweight and the horizontal component to which the bridge deck is attached becoming a single volume. The way the drawbridge and all its components work thus becomes clearly visible.
Detailing Another striking feature of the bridge, is the detailing of the various surfaces. Nowhere are they entirely flat, there’s always some sort of subdivision into different surfaces at slightly different angles. As a result, light is reflected differently by each plane, which offers an interesting play of slightly different colours and shades.
The New Witter Bridge is part of a larger project called the Blue Axis, which is an entirely new entrance route at the city centre’s west side, allowing boats to enter the city centre.