Caterpillar Bridge
Amsterdam
The Caterpillar Bridge was a competition proposal for a new crossing to Amsterdam’s Hermitage Museum.
The design respects the restraint of the Hermitage Museum – a deck of timber appears from the shore simply to rise and fall, delivering the traveller to the Museum’s entrance.
The inspiration: the humble caterpillar – a marvel of natural engineering: a number of articulated joints with muscles between allowing the full length of the creature to be raised from its hind legs and supported by its rear claspers.
Our bridge proposal has computer-controlled motors acting as the muscles. They power screw-actuators to open and close the individually articulated truss sections, all powered sustainably by photo-voltaic panels located on the roof of the adjacent café.
The Caterpillar Bridge was exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
Our Team
- Nicholas Hare
- Phil Hall-Patch
Project Team
- Structural Engineer: Integral Engineering Design
