Bridge of Peace
Bridge of Peace მშვიდობის ხიდი | |
---|---|
Kura River (Mtkvari) | |
Locale | Tbilisi, Georgia |
Maintained by | Tbilisi City Administration |
Characteristics | |
Design | through truss, cantilever and arch bridge |
Total length | 150 metres (490 ft) |
History | |
Opened | May 6, 2010 |
Location | |
The Bridge of Peace (
History
The bridge which stretches 150 metres (490 ft) over the Kura River was ordered by the City Hall of Tbilisi to create a contemporary design feature connecting
Design
The bridge was designed by the Italian architect
The bridge, a design of which reminds of a marine animal,
The lighting which is live from 90 minutes before sunset until 90 minutes after sunrise, features four different lighting programs that run on the canopy every hour. At times, the bridge lights up in waves from one side of the river to the other. At other times, the pattern begins with a band of light at either end, continuing from either direction until the light meets in the middle, and fading to black before starting over. The third program starts by lighting the outer fixtures on the roofline, then briefly illuminates the entire canopy before going entirely dark. The fourth program makes the roof twinkle like stars as different groups of fixtures light and dim across the entire bridge length.[4]
Within the bridge walkway, the low-power linear LED arrays embedded in the glass railings are triggered by 240[3] motion sensors as the pedestrians pass, giving an impression that the bridge lights come on for each person setting foot on the bridge. Additionally, a message in Morse code that renders the periodic table of elements goes across two parapets every hour. The lights designer Martinaud considers this communication celebration of "life and peace between people".[4]
Criticism
The construction of a new steel and glass bridge in the historical district of Tbilisi was controversial. Several opposition politicians, architects, and urban planners unleashed criticism, complaining that the bridge unduly dominated the historical old town and obscured the area's old architectural landmarks.[6]
The bridge has been nicknamed the "
See also
- Architecture of Georgia
References
- ^ a b Temo Bardzimashvili (2010-08-11). "Tbilisi's Bridge of Peace Undulates in Glass and Steel". Eurasianet. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ a b "Archibase. The Bridge of Peace, Tbilisi, Georgia". Retrieved 2011-05-03.
- ^ a b Sian Disson (2010-06-28). "Peace offering". World Architecture News. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ a b c d "Tbilisi's Bridge of Peace Comes to Life at Sunset with All-White Interactive LED Light Show". Future Lighting Solutions. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
- ^ "Pharos. A Sensory Crossing". Retrieved 2011-05-17.
- ^ Khabuliani, Khatuna (2016). "Some Considerations on Aspects of Tbilisi's Identity Through Architectural Narratives". Identity Studies. 6: 35–36.
- ^ "Rebuilding Old Tbilisi. A new look for Old Tbilisi". The Economist. 6 October 2010.
- ^ Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Lonely Planet, p.122
- ^ Flashy Bridge Symptomatic of Georgia's Malaise, IWPR
- ^ In Tbilisi, Georgia, Bold New Buildings Rise From the Ruins of Dead Empires, New York Times Magazine, November 1, 2013
External links
Media related to Peace Bridge, Tbilisi at Wikimedia Commons