Bridge of Tilff

Momentary association

Programme: The new Tilff bridge over the river Ourthe is the multimodal connection between the village of Tilff and the E25 motorway on the one hand, and the railway station, the university, its hospital and the Boncelles shopping centre on the other. The bridge and footbridge are part of the site development carried out in collaboration with AAST and Arcadis.

About: The concern to fit the new structure into its landscape is reflected in each of the planned layouts. The large existing trees are preserved as much as possible and the existing flora is reinforced. Particular attention is paid to the well-being of the fauna. The stone waste from the cutting of the hill is recovered in order to create a dry environment for reptiles (Hibernaculum). A concrete bench along the bank undulates through the landscape. It also serves as an abutment to the green spaces of the parking lot and as a flood wall. The noble materials encountered are reintegrated into the project in a new form (bricks, rubble, paving stones). The solutions are a real innovation in the design and phased construction of the bridge and its footbridge. The very thin concrete deck is arranged on the bank and pushed over the Ourthe in sections, on temporary supports fixed in the water. The suspended footbridge, the materials used, the public lighting, are exploited contextually in an innovative way. The pedestrian passage under the railroad tracks is realized by pushing, using the hill as a counter-stop.