Kienlesberg Bridge Ulm

The city of Ulm's decision to connect the city of science to the north-west of the city centre with a new tram line initiated a bridge project in a highly complex construction context. The new tram line 2 crosses several existing Deutsche Bahn tracks and the portal of the Albabstieg tunnel of the new Stuttgart-Ulm line in the track field at Ulm's main railway station. In addition to the double-track tram traffic, the bridge is used by pedestrians, cyclists and buses as a rail replacement service.

In addition to the complex structural design, the realisation of the bridge in longitudinal displacement above the rolling track traffic and the construction site of the Albabstieg Tunnel, which was being built underneath at the same time, represented an outstanding engineering achievement.

With its symbiosis of engineering and traffic-related functionality, urban and architectural design as well as engineering in planning and realisation, the Kienlesberg Bridge illustrates in the best possible way the interdisciplinary interplay that defines bridge building culture.

The result is not just a functional building for the people of Ulm, but a modern landmark in an inhospitable location.

Prizes/awards:

• Bridge competition: 1st prize
• Hugo Häring State Prize 2021
• German Engineering Prize 2020
• Hugo Häring Prize 2020
• Civic Trust Award 2020
• Structural Award 2019
• Honoured at the 16th Ulrich Finsterwalder Engineering Award 2019
• Recognised as an outstanding example in the category ‘Railway Bridges’ ‘20th Symposium Bridge Construction’ Leipzig