Drammen City Bridge

Knight Architects won this international design competition for a pedestrian and highway over the River Drammenselva.

The winning design was selected by the City of Drammen in response to their brief for a new crossing to transform the city into an attractive destination for visitors, businesses and residents. The bridge will serve pedestrians, cyclists, and public bus routes.

The new 280m-long City Bridge is a direct response to the local constraints. With the electrified rail tracks on the south side requiring maximum headroom, and a street-level connection at the north bank, the bridge elevation confidently rises from the Bragernes Torg. It crosses the river with a general vertical curve and slowly comes down on the Strømsø side, where it naturally ties into the station square.

The central element of the bridge, the main river crossing, is a pair of low lying, shallow steel arches. These arches span 85m across the river, leaping dramatically between two narrow piers located close to the river banks. This distinctive shape is designed to be emblematic for the city of Drammen.

The design of the new City Bridge was formally approved by the client in December 2020 and construction commenced in late 2021.