Streetlife congratulates the German Hanseatic city of Havelberg for hosting the magnificent Federal Garden Show 2015 (BUGA). For the event, Streetlife was commissioned to install a unique 40-metre-long Crossline Bridge to straddle the Flethe valley.
BUGA 2015 is taking place in five cities located along the Havel River. Over the centuries, a landscape of streams, lakes, hills and valleys has been forged in the Elbe River basin, which includes the Havel tributary. The historic cathedral city of Havelberg is very much part of the region, having been founded on an island in the Havel River over a thousand years ago.
The impressive St. Marien Cathedral, with the adjoining convent garden, and the BUGA exhibition gardens are separated from each other by the Flethe valley. By connecting the two sites, the new bridge allows visitors to visit both venues together. The bridge was the result of intensive collaboration between Streetlife and the BUGA 2015 event organisers, during which initial plans for a temporary connection evolved into a more permanent solution.
The challenge was to find a long-span bridge with a warm, open character consistent with the preserved historic townscape. The beautiful CorTen Crossline Bridge from the Streetlife Bridges & Decking Collection met all of the event’s requirements. Streetlife’s design team custom engineered this unique structure with an exceptional 40-metre span. The bridge was constructed from a combination of sustainable materials, including FSC© hardwood and Streetdeck®40 decking material as well as stainless and CorTen steel.
The remarkable aesthetics of the CorTen Crossline Bridge make it a very popular model. By combining robust fence modules with a transparent infill of criss-crossed stainless steel balusters, the design results in a bridge that is both exciting and timeless.
The slanted, sleek supports give the impression of a floating bridge and elegantly emphasise the natural height differences of the Havel region’s river landscape. The warm tones of the hardwood combined with CorTen steel lend the structure the appearance and natural colour that Havelberg desired for this historic setting.
The CorTen Crossline Bridge opened in spring, and the opening ceremony was attended by various dignitaries. Although the bridge was initially presented as a temporary measure for the BUGA, it was enthusiastically embraced by the people of Havelberg as a permanent connection.
The BUGA in the Havel region will remain open to the public until autumn 2015. A trip to Berlin combined with a visit to the BUGA would be an inspiring experience for any landscape architect.
| Location | Havelberg, Germany |
| Delivery | 2015 |
| Client | Bundes Gartenschau |
