MARSHAL EDWARD ŚMIGŁY-RYDZ BRIDGE

ILLUMINATION AND LIGHTING DESIGN

2023 WŁOCŁAWEK

 

The steel bridge over the Vistula in Włocławek is one of the most recognisable landmarks of the city and the entire region. The unique form of its spans has become a characteristic element of the landscape. The bridge is the main gateway to the city from the north and its universally recognisable landmark.

The proposed illumination of the bridge refers to the original, historical lighting. The luminaires are similar in form to the historic ones, but modern lighting solutions will provide ideal lighting conditions on the roadway. The main pylons will be illuminated by small, precisely aimed projectors that will allow their full beauty to be exposed. This is due to the main principle of the new illumination, which is to emphasise the rhythmic nature of the bridge, enhancing the legibility of its structure and alleviating monotony during a long crossing. On the tops of the pylons, downward-facing projectors have been planned to evocatively illuminate the upper arches of the structure, visible both from the bridge roadway and from the Vistula quays.

Most of the proposed luminaires are small, precise projectors that illuminate only what is needed, including the slender trusses of the upper part of the bridge. Hidden in the nodes of the structure or inside the openwork frames, they remain almost invisible to users and do not dazzle drivers. The illumination is complemented by that of the remaining trusses and the line of the bridge base, which is one of the most important elements of its composition. The illumination of the stone pillars was deliberately dispensed with in order to emphasise the effect of the structure's lightness and the illusion of it floating above the water.