An Amazing Folding Sailboat Bridge May Come to This Country...

Margot Krasojević Architects announced a new design proposal today for a hydraulic floating bridge to cross China’s Wulanmulun River. The design is an innovative take on the folding bridge concept and can actually sail around the river to different destination points.

The bridge’s mobility would be made possible by sails made from lightweight aluminum, carbon fiber reinforced polymer and three flexible walkways that span across the river. According to the release, the main floating section of the bridge gives buoyancy to the expandable walkways, and a second “hydraulic telescopic secondary structure supports the pedestrian walkway.”

Resembling a futuristic bird on the water’s surface, Margot Krasojević Architects’ “Revolving Solar Sail bridge” is a stunning example of the intersection between architectural form and smart, sustainable design. The bridge’s three electric motor generators would be powered by solar panels which line the walkway, in an effort to utilize smart, sustainable materials in the design process.

The revolving pedestrian bridge “folds into multiple sections that stack into each other,” and can be “sailed into any location along the river or permanently positioned using Caisson foundations which are floated and sunk into position.” The sails have another function beyond utility: when lowered, they also act as a canopy for pedestrians in the seated area.