Claude Bernard overpass

Sympathetic to its environment, the sculpted structure designed by DVVD in Paris is formed entirely of curves. It is a strong landmark in the changing panorama of the capital.

Simple as a brushstroke, slender in form, the Claude Bernard overpass elegantly spans the Boulevard Périphérique between Aubervilliers and Paris. This arched timber structure, nearly 100 metres in length, connects the Parc du Millénaire to the Claude Bernard urban development zone, the very embodiment of an emblematic site.

The developmental diversity of the site has dictated a fresh approach to the consideration of urban density, multi-functionality and compactness, further accentuated by an overall environmental approach which is consistent with the objectives of the climate action plan of the City of Paris. One change leads to another: a change in the status of the city ring road, now conceived as an urban boulevard. The scale of this challenge was therefore to support this local dynamic through the provision of an overpass. More than just a bridging structure, this needed to be a unifying and symbolic feature.

A technical project such as an overpass involves constraints which are not run-of-the-mill. The requirement for the least possible disturbance to vehicle traffic, for example, dictated an unusual installation procedure: once the pile-mounted abutments with their associated stairways were in place on either side, the central section, fully-fitted with its timber cladding and decking, was mounted on its permanent supports in a single night. With the same idea of optimization in mind, the definition of the geometry of the overpass as a continuous arch, with no drops, and the design of its metal framework structure have been executed using sophisticated digital tools.

In order to reduce the height of the structure and its impact upon the landscape, and in the interests of a more subtle outline, the load-bearing structure has been conceived as two variable-inertia three-dimensional arches, which are concealed in the protective housing which serves as a safety barrier. This solution enhances the inertia of the structural beams and reduces weight.

This design also allows the level of pedestrian traffic to be lowered by more than one metre. The structure is arranged on either side and not below the decking, resulting in a 20-metre ramp and six fewer steps on either side. Above all, a continuity in perspective is maintained from one side to the other, making the structure more urban in character and less imposing. The metal framework is concealed behind the protective timber cladding, which interacts with the light.

DVVD, Claude Bernard overpass

DVVD, Claude Bernard overpass, plan and elevation

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_210 (1)

DVVD, Claude Bernard overpass, section

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_212 (1)

DVVD, Claude Bernard overpass, section

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_213 (1)

DVVD, Claude Bernard overpass, section

Claude Bernard overpass, Paris
Program: public walkway bridge
Architect: DVVD architecture, design and engineering agency
Project Manager: Clément Carrière, Nicolas Didier
Contractors: Segex / Razel-bec (structural works), Viry (metal framework), Agrigex (landscaping)
Completion: 2015

Claude Bernard overpass

Sympathetic to its environment, the sculpted structure designed by DVVD in Paris is formed entirely of curves. It is a strong landmark in the changing panorama of the capital.

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_210 (1)

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_212 (1)

P:\ZAC CLAUDE BERNARD_PASSERELLE\NOM_04_ETUDES\01_ARCHITECTE\03_DCE\01_dwg\CBA_DVVD_DCE_plan CBA_213 (1)

Latest on Architecture

Latest on Domus