Traversina Footbridge – A wooden stairway crossing a gorge

The Traversina Footbridge serves a public footpath in the central part of the Grisons (Switzerland), famous for its attractive landscape. At its site the profile of the valley is asymmetric, with a vertical north flank and a steep hillside in the south. The most appropriate solution was a suspension bridge supporting an angled walkway in the form of a long stair, thus shortening the span. Establishing the appropriate level of comfort for the hiker has been one of the most demanding aspects of the design. The elevated position of the bridge and the unusually long and steep steps called for a somewhat higher standard of feeling of safety. The design of this project was influenced to a large extent by the possibilities and conditions of erection, too.