Madera: the soul of wood, nobly expressed
Madera crafts the very essence of wood through the ingenious process of precomposed veneering, resulting in surfaces of captivating visual harmony and inherent sustainability. From flawlessly coordinated color palettes to intricate inlays that whisper stories, each door stands as a genuine tribute to the natural world.
So Dutch firm RO&AD architecten designed an invisible bridge. Its construction is entirely made of wood, waterproofed with EPDM foil. The bridge lies like a trench in the fortress and the moat, shaped to blend in with the outlines of the landscape. The bridge can't be seen from a distance because the ground and the water come all the way up to its edge. When visitors approach, the fortress opens up through a narrow trench. Pedestrians can then walk up to its gates like Moses parting the waters.
Project architect: RO&AD architecten
Contributing architects: Ro Koster, Ad Kil, Martin van Overveld
Client: Municipality of Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands
Structural Engineer: Adviesbureau Lüning
Contractor: AVK-bv
Materials: Accoya Wood, Angelim Vermelho
Total area: 50m2
Total Building costs: € 250,000
PNA International Forum celebrates natural stone
What's the future of authentic natural stone? Find out at the PNA International Forum, an unmissable event set in the magical atmosphere of Venice on June 12th and 13th, 2025. Registration is now open, don't miss out!