As the future main tourist center of Guangxi Province (China) and the demonstration area of the ASEAN International Tourism Cooperation, the city of Beihai is gradually developing towards the east and coastal tourism is taking shape. The bridge of Xicun Harbour connects the city on an east-west axis. This construction will facilitate future traffic and become the gateway to urban development, as well as the new symbol of an international tourist city.
NG-Lab with technical support from the Hunan Provincial Communications Planning Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd. present two conceptual schemes for this bridge.
Concept 1: Crossing arch bridge
Beihai, formerly known as Hepu, is the port of departure for the “Maritime Silk Road”. Therefore, the concept of this arch bridge as well as the historical context and the geographic location of the City will make this Bridge of Xicun Harbour the new symbol for the culture of the Silk Road. This will improve the quality of Beihai’s infrastructure development.
An elegant arch symbolizes the gate of the world, emphasizing the courage of the city. Its 400 meter span expresses the power of the bridge as an urban sculpture. Smaller continuous arches undulate along the surface of the water, reflecting the rhythm of the bridge and highlighting its symmetrical beauty.
Concept 2: Crossing cable-stayed bridge
The famous history of the pearls of the south gave birth to the road of the silk on seas. Therefore, the bamboo sticks that rise from the sea surface planted by pearl growers symbolize the particular landscape of Beihai. The design of this suspension bridge is derived from the shape of the bamboo and the paddles of the farmers’ ships, emphasizing the vertical language of the concept, simple but tense at the same time.
