Chinese architect Penda has partnered with UK consulting engineer Arup to design a bridge with overlapping helixes to coincide with the 2022 winter Olympics in Beijing.
The Three Mountains Bridge will cross the Gui River and link the Chinese capital with Zhangjiakou in Hebei province, which will host outdoor competitions during the games.
In a nod to the rugged geography of Hebei, the 452m-long structure is reminiscent of a mountain range when viewed from the side. The overlapping rings on top of the bridge are an allusion to the Olympic logo.
Trees will line the edge of the car lanes, separating the vehicles from a bicycle and pedestrian lane.
According to the designers, double helix form will enable the bridge to be built with only a fifth of the steel required to build a similar box girder bridge.
The project has yet to be approved.
Arup has previously worked on a similar helical bridge project in Singapore.
Beijing 2022 will be the first Olympic Winter Games to be held in China.
Images via Penda
