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LUO Studio completes intricate wooden bridge in Chinese water village

Hundreds of wooden elements are bolted together to form Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by Chinese architecture office LUO Studio.

The 25-metre-long bridge is located in Gulou, a water village in Jiangmen, China. This unusual manmade landscape, formed of a network of waterways and ponds, once provided an infrastructure for fishing and farming.

Close-up of Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront
The bridge is arched to allow room for boats to pass underneath

With the area now being rebranded as an eco-tourism resort, Gulou Waterfront, LUO Studio was tasked with creating a new pedestrian bridge in the heart of it.

The Beijing-based studio chose to predominantly use wood, paying tribute to the traditional construction techniques employed in rural villages of southern China where the material is in plentiful supply.

Gulou bridge with 25-metre span
Its structure is made from simple wooden lengths

It was essential for the bridge to allow enough room for boats to pass underneath. This led to the design of an arch shape, with four metres clearance between the underside of the bridge and the typical water level.

"During the fishing civilisation period, roads were poorly developed, so water systems became the key route for transportation and logistics," said the studio, which is led by architect Luo Yujie.

"Since bridges need to be walkable while also ensuring more space for boats underneath to pass through, traditional bridge construction techniques in China adopted arches to create space for the passage of boats under bridges, and enhance the effectiveness of the structure."

Boat passing under timber bridge in Gulou
Metal panels provide integrated rainwater drainage

Despite the shape of the bridge, very few of its components are curved. Apart from the three arched beams that form the underside, the structure is almost entirely made from small, regular lengths of pine.

"Small wooden components are interlocked and anchored to the three main arched beams, functioning as sub-beams on upper and lower levels," said LUO Studio.

"In addition, the two ends of these sub-beams are combined with upward components to form a stable triangle of forces."

Night view of Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
The bridge span is 25 metres

Metal plates are slotted into the wooden framework, which create shelter and provide natural rainwater drainage.

The result is a structure with an intricate structure. Not only does it provide a walkway across the water, but also provides shelter to those crossing.

Entrance to timber bridge in Gulou
Wide staircases create an inviting route for pedestrians

On both sides, the wooden bridge's entrance is a wide staircase with open treads. A smaller staircase is set into the centre of each one, leading up to viewing platforms slotted within the bridge's structure.

"This project inherits the construction wisdom of ancient covered bridges," said LUO Studio.

"The covered corridor enhances the overall structural stability and protects the arched wooden structure beneath from exposure to sun and rain."

Steel-strengthened bolts give the structure an additional layer of strength.

Interior of timber bridge by LUO Studio
Viewing platforms are slotted into the structure at both ends

Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront is the latest in a series of innovative projects designed by Luo Yujie, a rising star of the Chinese architecture scene.

His studio won a Dezeen Award for Party and Public Service Center, a community centre built over existing foundations in Yuanheguan, while other projects include the geodesic canopy, Luotuowan Pergola.

With this project, he hopes to inject new interest into an area whose fishing heritage is gradually disappearing.

Aerial view of Gulou in China
The area is being rebranded as an eco-tourism resort

It is one of several new bridges that are planned as part of the Gulou Waterfront development, with the aim of making the area accessible for pedestrians without causing disruption to fishing boats.

"While passing through the platforms from two ends to reach the centre of the bridge corridor, visitors can fully experience the light and shadows from the top, feeling calmness and openness in the mind," added the studio.

The photography is by Jin Weiqi and the video is by Jin Weiqi and Xiao Shiming.


Project credits

Client: Jiangmen OCT
Design studio: LUO studio
Design/construction instruction: Luo Yujie, Lu Zhuojian, Wang Beilei
Structural consulting: LaLu Structural Consulting
Construction firm: Shenzhen Zhenhui Architectural Engineering
Wood material suppliers: Shengtehaosen, Kingspine-House
Lighting fixture supplier: Meteor Shower

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More images and plans

Site plan, Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Site plan
Section, Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Section
Axonometric cut-through, Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Axonometric cut-through
Exploded diagram, Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Exploded diagram
Timber sections, Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber sections
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront, the latest project by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio
Timber Bridge in Gulou Waterfront by LUO Studio