PHOTO ⟩ It has been clarified how the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over the Zunda channel will look like

In the project that won the first place, high-quality public outdoor space solutions were achieved by creating wide terraces on the water’s edge, well-maintained squares and abundant greenery at both ends of the bridge.

It is proposed to use glued wooden spans on reinforced concrete supports for the construction of the bridge. Glued wood is an environmentally friendly material with many advantages, such as relatively low self-weight, high load-bearing capacity and aesthetic appeal.

Evelīna Ozola, the chief designer of the city of Riga and a member of the jury of the design competition, describes the first-placed work as a design developed with a high degree of detail and carefully thought out.

“The construction of the proposed bridge demonstrates an ecological orientation. The integration of the bridge into the urban environment is particularly commendable – a scenically attractive, multi-functional public outdoor space has been created on both banks of the Zunda. The bridge solution is pragmatic, while at the same time it has a restrained, modern, environmentally friendly architectural image. The implementation of the bridge will make a qualitative contribution to mobility and for the public outdoor space in Pārdaugava,” explains E. Ozola.

The second place was awarded to the project with the motto “Zzuunnddss”, whose authors are SIA “MADE arhitekti”, in cooperation with SIA “Projekts 3” and Eva Abdulļina.

The third place was awarded to the project with the motto “ZUT 001”, which was developed by SIA “Levins arhitekti”.

On the other hand, a project with the motto “Prototilts” was nominated for the promotion award, whose authors are SIA “Alsins Architecture Latvija”, Sergejs Kopili and Andrejs Kopili.

The construction of the bridge is said to be an important project for the construction of the bicycle path “Rīga – Babīte – Pinķi”, promoting mobility and arranging the surroundings of the Zunda Canal. The bridge will form a bicycle traffic connection between Pārdaugava and Ķīpsala, where the Riga Technical University student campus is located, with connections to the city’s streets and recreation infrastructure, as well as creating a placemark in the creation of the identity of the nearest neighborhoods.

The construction of the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists is planned until the spring of 2026. In the future, it is also planned to restore and improve the infrastructure of the rest of the adjacent territory of Zunda.

The municipality will award 9,000 euros to the winner of the competition.