Ribbon Project - Brücke Birkenauer Straße - International Restrained Realization Competition

"The Ribbon" is a pedestrian and bike bridge design selected among the three winners of an international, restrained, and realization competition “Brücke Birkenauer Straße”, FRANKLIN Mitte in Mannheim. The three winners enter a shared negociation phase and receive a money prize and subsequent, secondary classification. Alessandro delli Ponti & Ilaria Novielli, associates of KH STUDIO architects, planners, landscape architects, where the invited architects of this competition, and entered the competition in cooperation with Marx Krontal Partner MKP GmbH (structural engineering) and TAMANDUA – Rangel Schmelzer (architecture). This bridge marks a new milestone in Mannheim’s northern transformation, theatre of delli Ponti & Novielli's long-term engagement: since winning Europan 12 in 2013 with the 200-hectare “Mannheim’s Connection” vision - supporting the B38 highway’s transition into an urban boulevard and the regeneration of the former Franklin Barracks - KH STUDIO has helped shape the area through strategic planning and award-winning built projects, including the MVV Pavilion (delivered in 2024) and the 35-hectare Columbus Quartier and its open spaces. Today, as Mannheim develops FRANKLIN Mitte as a multifunctional district for 10,000 new residents and repositions the B38 as a future urban boulevard - framed by MVRDV’s territorial-scale “HOME” tower system—the bridge provides the missing barrier-free walking and cycling link from FRANKLIN, through Columbus Park (designed by KH STUDIO with Atelier EEM), to the 1970s Vogelstang district and its lake landscape system. This bridge project is a key piece of infrastructure for the emerging FRANKLIN district, creating a new barrier-free pedestrian and cycling link between FRANKLIN Mitte, Columbus Park and the Vogelstang district, crossing Birkenauer Straße, tram-line 5 and B38, and passing through the planned high-rise “M” shaped building designed by the MVRDV firm. The competition brief set a strict overall cost cap of €5.5 million (gross, all cost groups) and positions the bridge as both a mobility catalyst and a formative element of the new district’s identity. A “dynamic but discreet” bridge: one continuous urban band : The design is grounded in the idea of a bridge that is integrated into a larger territorial and urban sequence: it completes the final connection of a 5 km new north–south axis, stitching together diverse conditions—from open landscapes to major architectural figures in the district. Rather than competing with surrounding objects, the bridge acts as a connecting element that supports multiple spatial situations. A key driver of the proposal is the creation of a smooth, uninterrupted band—a continuous route that is legible, inclusive, and comfortable for everyday use. The alignment responds precisely to the project’s fixed points—tram infrastructure, the conditions around the “M” building, and the transition to FRANKLIN Mitte—resulting in a dynamic geometry that guides movement and frames views. Public space, safety, and an “open ground” condition : The proposal emphasizes the quality of space at ground level: generous clearances, visibility, and straightforward connections help ensure an intuitive and safe public realm. The bridge is conceived not only as a crossing, but also as a way to support vitality along Birkenauer Straße through well-placed links and “shortcuts” into the surrounding open-space system. Structural concept : Structurally, the bridge is conceived as a steel structure: a fully welded steel box-girder deck (Stahlhohlkasten), with a trough-like cross-section and a three-span layout, offering a usable width of 4.5–6.0 m and a 69 m main span. In plan, the alignment combines straight segments and changes in direction, producing torsion and a slight lateral inclination; accordingly, the cross-section “develops” at the piers into an asymmetric trough, deeper over the supports and shallower in span, alternating between the east and west sides. Each segment therefore comprises an outer main girder and an inner secondary girder. Buildability and durability within tight constraints : Construction logic is treated as part of the design: a high level of prefabrication and a carefully sequenced installation strategy aim to minimize disruption to traffic and tram operations. Material choices and detailing support long-term maintenance and robustness, aligning with the brief’s emphasis on functionality, life-cycle performance, and cost efficiency.