Construction has begun on a new Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)-designed bridge in Taiwan that's billed as the world's longest single-mast, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Due to begin operation in 2024, the Danjiang Bridge is a massive project with a considerable budget of NT$12.49 billion (US$405.2 million).
First unveiled back in 2015 following an architecture competition, the Danjiang Bridge will span the mouth of the Tamsui River that flows through Taipei. Including support roads, it will measure 920 m (3,018 ft)-long in total, spanning 450 m (1,476 ft) to the west of the mast and 175 m (574 ft) to its east. The mast itself will rise to 200 m (656 ft)-tall.
The attractive asymmetrical design does have practical merit and is intended to ensure that the bridge doesn't impede sea traffic, as well as minimizing any obstruction of the view, in what is an area popular for watching the sunset. It's also meant to minimize disruption to the riverbed and local natural habitat.
The bridge is being built to reduce traffic on the congested local roads and will cut the journey between Bali and Tamsui on either side of the river by 15 km (9.3 miles), saving 25 minutes of traveling time. It will include road, cycle and pedestrian lanes.
Zaha Hadid Architects has taken on a few really big projects recently, including Russia's largest port and an entire new neighborhood near Moscow. Additionally, another significant new bridge recently opened in that part of the world too, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.
Source: ZHA