From an engineering perspective, bridges are transport infrastructure intended to move traffic from one side to the other. In urban areas with limited breathing or recreational spaces, people tend to occupy or repurpose the river portion of the bridge for enjoyment. There is also a tendency to appreciate the riverside view and the area around it from the bridge, resulting in a chaotic situation on the bridge. This studio exercise reimagines the urban bridge as an active public space that creates a destination and network of connectivity within itself.

The concept of multipurpose use of urban bridges is not new. Historically, it was a common practice, particularly during the middle ages. It was called “inhabitable urbanized bridge”. Nowadays, as cities run out of space for new buildings, inhabitable bridges can offer rather an interesting idea. It can offer a new tool for cities, forming a destination in the in-between zones that standard functional bridges inhabit, areas that we mostly consider unlivable.

Keane Bridge is a historical steel bridge located over Surma River that is used as the Gateway of Sylhet. The Keane Bridge is reimagined to incorporate a lively pedestrian layer to facilitate unobstructed traffic flow and a connected network of the current riverside public areas. At street level, the design of the fishing deck staircase area and the riverfront is tailored for urban residents. At the bridge level, there is a triangular-shaped alcove gathering area included. From that bridge layer, four staircases will link to the upper-level community area, which will host libraries, a multipurpose hall, and tea snack shops. The structure is self-sustained where energy is generated by the mini turbine façade and the solar thermo-electric roof of the bridge.