With the second arch bridge on the spectacular alpine road to Ebnit, a sub-district of Dornbirn, the master plan for three infrastructure projects is one step closer to completion. The Schaufelschlucht Bridge has been integrated into the tremendous natural surroundings just as naturally and impressively as the Schanerloch Bridge before it.

Both were built following the same principle: a visible display of internal and external forces, cast in concrete. The twisting and tapering of the bridge on the valley side gives a clear idea of the structural capabilities of the arch shape, while its counterpart on the Ebnit side withstands the dynamic force of the water, which has carved a deep gorge in the rock face over the course of thousands of years.

The dark, narrow tunnels, formed by the forces of nature, and the forbidding sheer rock walls along the road act as the backdrop for a dramatic spectacle no one passing by could hardly miss. The bridge’s concrete parapets escort motorists and give them a sense of safety as they cross the roaring, rain-swollen waters, and the solidity and equilibrium of the homogeneous structure make it seem invincible and built for eternity. Sustainability in its truest, while timeless, form. [Marina Hämmerle]