KA wins open competition for Viana do Castelo Bridge

Knight Architects and Armando Rito Engenharia have won an open competition to design a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the the River Lima in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

The design brief from Câmara Municipal de Viana do Castelo (the city council) demanded a crossing that would deliver improved active mobility and high-quality urban design while respecting the neighbouring 1878 crossing, designed by Gustave Eiffel.

The team's winning solution features an elegant S-shaped alignment that curves organically away from the historic twin-deck structure, preserving sightlines whilst establishing its own distinct identity through references to local nautical heritage. Inclined pylons positioned alternately along the deck create slenderness whilst respecting the Eiffel Bridge's visual prominence.

The 700m-long crossing will improve active mobility provision through a 4m-wide unsegregated deck and gentle 5% ramps, greatly improving upon the existing bridge's narrow 1m-wide pavements and steep access. The jury praised the proposal, highlighting how the innovative hybrid structure – combining a variable-depth U-beam with asymmetric cable-stayed elements – achieves "formal and functional coherence" with a design that is "capable of boosting enjoyment of this area beyond simply connecting the river's two banks". 

Related project: Viana do Castelo Foot and Cycle Bridge