Palo Alto Announces Winner of Design Competition for Iconic New Highway 101 Bridge

The City of Palo Alto announced today the winning team of a global bridge design competition for a new landmark bicycle and pedestrian bridge spanning Highway 101 at Adobe Creek.

California firms HNTB Engineering, 64North, Bionic Landscape Architecture, and Ned Kahn make up the winning design team.

“Three remarkable designs, all with strong local team members, were presented to the Design Jury and the Architectural Review Board. Each proposal provided comprehensive design thinking, integrating key requirements of cost constraint, strong aesthetic and engineering form, and a sensitive approach to the Baylands,” Jury Chairwoman Judith Wasserman said.

“The winning design includes several amenities at the Baylands gateway, and shows a remarkable integration of form and expression, creating a safe landmark bridge for the use of cyclists and pedestrians, while also acknowledging that thousands of motorists will pass beneath this bridge every day,” she said.

The City created the unique six-month competition to solicit visionary design ideas from top architectural and engineering firms for a bridge that represents the identity of Palo Alto and provides connectivity from residential and commercial areas in south Palo Alto to the Baylands Nature Preserve and the regional Bay Trail network of bike trails.

The competition began in late-September and 20 firms from around the world submitted qualifications, along with their design intent and approach, to the City for consideration.

A jury, comprised of industry-recognized local and regional architects, reviewed the submitted designs based on four principles—originality, versatility, conservation and interconnectedness—and chose three teams to develop a conceptual design for the bridge with a $20,000 stipend from the City’s Capital Improvement Program.

On Dec. 17, the three teams presented their design concepts to the jury and public, with a winner being selected by the jury.

The American Institute of Architects California Council (AIACC), which has managed numerous international, national and local design awards and competitions, worked alongside City staff managing and facilitating the competition. AIACC’s role was to establish competition guidelines and review design criteria, invite designers to submit proposals, select a jury and technical advisory panel, and assist with the jury’s shortlisting of the three qualified design teams.

The winning design will be presented to the Public Art Commission, Architectural Review Board, Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning and Transportation Commission in January 2015. The design will then go before City Council for review and possible approval in February 2015.

The City is still seeking feedback on the three design concepts.

For more information or to view the three finalists’ designs and leave comments, visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/101.

--Info from the City of Palo Alto.