Ponts-Papillons & Butterfly Bridges
Bridges connect places and people to each other and to their environments. Ponts-Papillons are a series of pedestrian bridges that we envision migrating throughout the city, starting in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Ponts-Papillons incorporates concepts such as bioreceptive design to blend the bridge with the natural environment, while also presenting a captivating landmark through its architecturally striking butterfly-wing shaped roofs. Pont-Papillons are a literal metamorphosis of the Olympic Stadium's roof into a flight of 'suspended walkway' structures that bring cooling effects and playfulness, as well as a new sense of connection to nature, the river, and to the Montreal neighbourhoods that need it most.
Proposed Locations: We propose two bridge locations (i) Hochelaga, and (ii) Sainte-Marie. These locations are determined to be some of Montreal's least walk-able and most unsafe pedestrian routes. These routes also exhibit high heat island effects and are priority greening zones (Figure e). Our bridges will restore the adjacent communities' connection to greenery and pedestrian movement, currently severed by car-centric rue Notre Dame.
Structure and Design: Each cable-stayed truss bridge resembles a butterfly floating over the road. The bridge's pile foundations, reinforced concrete abutments, steel trusses, steel tower, and steel cable stays provide structural integrity (Figures a,b,d). The stays support a prestressed concrete bridge-deck (with cable prestressing tendons) and a steel cable mesh enforced roof for winter-proofing. Steel ramps with butterfly-shaped cable railings, greenery flanked stairs, and a community library greets pedestrians as they enter the structure. The design is amenable to additional playful add-ons, such as artistic displays, or children's games.
Ecological Impact: The butterfly roof is composed of overlapping membranes that drain rainfall into vegetation areas, provide shade, and reflect heat to promote urban cooling. The bridge façade integrates a bioreceptive design to promote vegetation growth on green structures such porous concrete (Figure c). This design promotes passive cooling through moisture retention and the remediation of localized air pollution. The pedestrian footpath separation (Figure d), coupled with beautiful light and shadow effects from the roof, gives the bridge (Figure b).
Reuse Strategy: All bridge components reuse at least one Olympic roof material. All 12 reuse materials are functionally incorporated into the design (Figure a). While a single bridge does not reuse all roof materials, we propose a series of bridges built throughout Montreal that will optimize reuse and community benefit.
(From competitor's text)
