Utrecht bike bridge doubles as roof for a school

In spite of ambitious designs like the undulating Lucky Knot bridge or the bridge that’s also a home for bats, the architects at the Amsterdam and Beijing-based firm Next Architects have yet to go a bridge too far. Their latest span, Utrecht’s Dafne Schippers Bridge, not only offers bike and pedestrian access across the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, but also serves as part of the roof for an elementary school.

The 360-foot bridge runs from the Oog in Al neighborhood across the river where its conventional overpass suddenly snakes atop the school and down a lushly planted artificial hill in Victor Hugo Park. The school’s rooftop will soon be planted with a permaculture garden.

“In one fluid movement, the cycle route, park, and school are brought together to form a cohesive whole of infrastructure, architecture, and landscape,” said Next Architect’s Marijn Schenk.

Via: Inhabitat