A620 Foot and Cycle Bridge

Knight Architects was part of the winning team for this international design competition for a foot and cycle bridge over the busy A620 highway in Toulouse. The 118 m crossing will provide a new active mobility link between the future Line 3 tube station, the Toulouse Aerospace district, and the existing Montaudran neighbourhood to the north, and the scientific campus and the Canal du Midi cycleway to the south.

To create a joyful, comfortable, and safe user experience, the crossing adopts a subtle curved language in both its alignment and steelwork geometry. Combined with the continuity of materials and railings, the route naturally guides users across the bridge.

Inspired by aeronautical profiles that reflect the site’s history, the bridge features a carefully sculpted, asymmetric weathering steel box girder crossing the A620 and Bernard Maris Avenue in three spans (15 m / 57 m / 46 m). The inclination of the box girder’s sides and its variation in height create contrasts of light and shadow, enhancing the perceived slenderness of the structure.

The girder geometry frames long views of the surrounding landscape while screening the adjacent gantry and providing protection from wind, rain, and motorway noise. In addition, the bridge’s sinuous curvature creates a dynamic user experience, offering a memorable and attractive presence for motorway users while respecting the skyline of the future ZAC Toulouse Aerospace.