When engineering meets architectural design

The steel cladding envisaged in the project was not available as a standardised product. The goal, therefore, was to combine a focus on design and the geometry of the cladding with the engineering of the substructure (weighing 200 tonnes), the fabrication of the workshop components, and load control. All this was made possible through the constant use of digital modelling tools and the verification of potential interferences (BIM). Decisive was our ability to interconnect a wide range of tools—from freeform modelling software, used to manage the geometric complexity of elements such as double curvature, to parametric design software aimed at optimising the production process, as well as coordination tools for detecting physical clashes between elements before the assembly phase on site. A mock-up approximately 6 metres long—compared to the bridge’s 180 metres—was produced to assess critical aspects and strengths of the design in advance. The client asked us to conduct an optimisation process that led to the complete redesign of the bridge using a greatly reduced number of components compared to what had been initially assumed. This was followed by the delivery of a coordinated model free from overlaps with elements already present on site, such as heavy steelwork and the road deck. The project also required intensive dialogue with the Historic Heritage Superintendency, due to the integration of the vestiges of the Napoleonic bridge into the new structure.