12 interesting facts about Moses Bridge

11.12.2018

Walking through Water - 12 interesting facts about the Moses Bridge

Walking through Water – 12 interesting facts about the Moses Bridge

Identified as the “Building of the Year” by ArchDaily in 2011 and one of the top 20 most visited Archdaily projects in 2014, the Moses Bridge project has become the most popular Accoya® project of all time.

Typically used in the construction of windows and doors, decking and cladding it was a great surprise in 2010 to hear that Accoya® would be specified for an invisible bridge. The idea of a bridge that gave the feeling of walking through water was even more bizarre.  Today it’s clear why the bridge, nicknamed the Moses Bridge, has become a popular tourist destination, not only for Dutch tourists but for tourists visiting from all over the world.

In this blog we cover 12 interesting facts about this award winning project, aptly named Moses Bridge.

The Moses Bridge was created with a relatively small budget of €250,000, but it has turned out to be a big crowd puller. Visitors from the US, Israel and Japan have been known to come to Bergen op Zoom especially to see the bridge. It was never the intention of the architects RO&AD to make the bridge into such an icon. It is a small project that has had a huge influence on the area and is proof that an assignment does not have to be big to have effect.

Tourists walk through water

Tourists walk through water

The Moses Bridge was realised and finished in just three months in the 2010, and is real proof that Accoya® is made to last.

Originally the bridge was called Loopgraafbrug but when people saw the bridge and walked through the water, Moses Bridge became it’s name.

The Moses Bridge should be have been a bridge over the water but it was felt that it did not fit with the history of the fort (on this part of the historical West Brabant Water Line) to build a bridge to the enemy.

The bridge was made using sustainable materials – the wood (Accoya®) used is treated with a non-toxic coating that protects it from decay and erosion.

Every year when it begins to freeze, the bridge is filled with water so it will not get damaged, and when people are ice skating they won’t fall in the bridge.

 

The Moses Bridge in a snowy landscape

The Moses Bridge in a snowy landscape

The Moses Bridge in Bergen op Zoom is known worldwide as the one of the amazing places on earth. Read more

Photographers and designers get a lot of inspiration from the Moses Bridge.

The Moses Bridge as inspiration for designers and photographers

The Moses Bridge as inspiration for designers and photographers

It was called miraculous by the Daily Mail: Holy Moses! Miraculous ‘bridge’ parts the water at top tourist attraction Read more

It was named ‘Building of the Year’ by ArchDaily, and on display on the digital billboard at Times Square in New York for a day.

The Moses Bridge was also mentioned as one of the most unique bridges in the world. Read more.

The lovely view from the Pompejus Tower on the Moses Bridge

Since the realisation of the bridge RO&AD have specified Accoya® wood on many other projects in Bergen op Zoom, connected with the fort. More recently the Pompejus Tower where visitors get a lovely view of the bridge.

The ingenuity of the design and the appearance of the bridge’s simplicity will no doubt inspire architects and designers in the future.

 

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