Cyrille Sager
Punt Marcau (Thema C)

The basic outlook of the project is to address the situation revolving around the existing "Rhine Bridge" on a smaller scale, while also addressing the rather problematic division of the two city halves on an urban scale.

Looking at the situation in Ilanz, one can identify the disconnection between the medieval town centre and St. Clau. One factor is of natural reason, the Rhine flows through the city, and thus dividing it. Another factor is the existing "Rhine Bridge" which connects the two city halves on one hand, but also contributes to the disconnection on the other hand. The bridge acts as a chokepoint, since it is the only connection within the city's boundaries, which results in a rather confusing traffic situation around, where cars, pedestrians, trains and bikers get in the way of each other.

The project aims to resolve this situation, while also trying to strengthen the connection between the two city halves. Looking at it from an urban scale, the industrial area right next to the train station has been named as a development area by the city. As the city still does not know how to develop it exactly, it could be seen as an opportunity to resolve the situation around the existing bridge. The newly developed area could be connected to the other side with an additional car bridge, and thus relieving the traffic flow in the city centre. This would result in a closed loop that runs through the city, similar to the one that already exists west of Ilanz. Additionally, the traffic through the city's centre could be reduced to a one way street, further reducing the number of cars in the city centre.

With this, a continuous pedestrian area that runs from the medieval town to the other side of the river can be created, improving the situation for tourists, pedestrians and bike users, expanding the usable public space.

The intervention aims to become part of this public space, while also making use of the wide surface of the already existing bridge. Standing in close connection to the biggest cultural good and public good of Ilanz, namely its market, the new building could become its host and bringing it back to the centre. The building itself is partly inspired by the old wooden Rhine bridge that spanned over the river. Using traditional methods of construction such as mortises and scarphs, a simple structure of diagonals and suspension posts spans over the whole length of the bridge without touching it. The structure creates a large hall on ground level that can be used for the market, events or concerts, while the upper floor acts as a pedestrian bridge, but doubles as space from which these events can be viewed from. Unlike traditional wooden bridges, that are usually covered in order to protect the structure from rotting, and thus rather dark, the idea here is to create a light flooded market hall. The roof construction is partly inspired by wooden shingles, but here using "glass tiles" that let sunlight in. The intervention is thus a more modern ode to the past bridge that once spanned the Rhine, making it a new, but at the same time also nostalgic symbol in the city centre.