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The visually striking Mediterranean Street Bridge located in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki, has been recognized for its high-quality design and construction. The bridge, affectionately known as Rokkiporkkana (Rock Carrot), has become a symbol of the urban district, connecting its parks and providing a safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists to the waterfront. A-Insinöörit served as the technical designer for the bridge.

The jury of RIL ry, representing experts in the built environment, awarded the Bridge of the Year 2023 accolade to the bridge crossing Välimerenkatu in Helsinki. The jury commended the thoughtful and high-quality design of the bridge and its role in the development of the district and urban landscape. The bridge's structural design was undertaken by A-Insinöörit's Oulu bridge unit Ponvia, with landscape architecture by VSU maisema-arkkitehdit.

Situated prominently in Jätkäsaari, the wider-than-usual pedestrian and cycling bridge connects Hyväntoivonpuisto Park and Selkämerenpuisto Park. The orange-colored bridge, known as Rokkiporkkana, has become an iconic landmark for Jätkäsaari and a symbol of urban living in general.

"Hyväntoivonpuisto Park plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of living, and the bridge was not built solely for transit purposes. Right from the beginning, we wanted the bridge to have an interesting twist. The organic, multi-dimensional form made the design challenging. Almost every corner of the steel structure is unique and was dimensioned one corner at a time," explains Tuomo Järvenpää, Unit Manager at Ponvia and the bridge's designer.

The concrete decked steel truss bridge spans 44 meters in length, with varying widths. Due to its multi-dimensional geometry, traditional drawings were not used for the structures. Instead, the bridge and its unique art-supported retaining walls were designed entirely digitally, using Building Information Modeling (BIM). The structural analysis and design of the bridge were conducted using 3D Finite Element Method (FEM) models.

The architecture of the bridge ties into the underlying narrative of Hyväntoivonpuisto Park, which revolves around a creature called the "örk" living beneath the park.

"The pedestrian bridge resembles the orange backbone of the 'örk,' revealing itself from beneath the ground. We also sought to incorporate the color palette and aesthetics of shipping containers and harbor cranes, which are part of the area's history," shares Outi Palosaari, the bridge's architect and co-designer of Hyväntoivonpuisto Park from VSU maisema-arkkitehdit.

Since its opening in 2018, the Välimerenkatu Bridge's upper structure features LED light strips that illuminate the bridge deck, while spotlights accentuate the supporting retaining walls, making the bridge visually striking even during the nighttime. A-Insinöörit was responsible for the lighting and pathway design, with GRK Suomi acting as the main contractor.

The award-winning Rokkiporkkana Bridge will soon be joined by a similar bridge, resembling it, called Länsisatamakadun Ylikulkusilta, located south of Hyväntoivonpuisto Park. This second bridge, also implemented by the same project team, is set to open later this year.

HT