Danish architecture practice COBE has completed a pedestrian bridge and a harbour promenade located in the city of Esbjerg on the Danish west coast.

Called Landgangen, the 280-metre bridge connects the city center and the industrial harbour area have been left disconnected before. Copper-clad bridge is raised on slim steel columns that dissolves within the nature. The bridge is wedged in between these two areas is the city park - a forest landscape of steep hills and valleys. 

Landgangen acts as a unifying element between these contexts; city, industry, and landscape. The bridge and promenade are designed using a ‘branch’ as an overall design parameter, superimposed as a light hovering structure that finds its way, twisting and turning, from the city to the harbour in an unpredictable rhythm that branches out into vantage points, plateaus, stairs and connecting pathways.

"The city of Esbjerg is developed as a result of its massive industrial harbour -  Denmark's biggest harbour as regardsarea. Until now, the city center and the harbour area have been left disconnected, denying the citizens' access to thepotentially recreational waterfront," said COBE.

COBE is inspired by the idea of connecting the different elements through the hilly forest which has led to a very simple architectural concept; acting like a branch.

The bridge is superimposed as a light hovering structure that finds its way, twisting and turning, from the city to the harbour in an unpredictable rhythm that branches out into vantage points, plateaus, stairs and connecting pathways. The harbour promenade also meets the historical water tower in the city.

COBE recently completed the extension of the headquarters of Danish Red Cross, with new building that creates a giant urban staircase connected to upper level of the main building. The firm also completed a funnel-shaped Tingbjerg Library and Culture House that acts like a single facade in Copenhagen. 

Project facts

Location: Esbjerg, Denmark

Client: City of Esbjerg, Esbjerg Havn, Udviklingsselskabet Esbjerg Dokhavn, Realdania

Program: Pedestrian and bicycle bridge, and harbor promenade

Size: 280 m bridge

Status: 1st prize in competition in 2015, completed in 2018

Collaborators: JORTON, Valmont SM, MOE, Krabbenhøft & Ingolfsson

Awards: Byplanprisen 2018, Esbjerg Byfonds Pris 2018     

Team: Dan Stubbergaard, Rasmus Jessing, Caroline Nagel, Alexander Ejsing, Morten Emil Engel, Dorte Buckhardt Westergaard, Iben Marie Borbye Pedersen, Mads Knak, Jonas Snedevind, Jens Kert Wagner, Emmeily Zhang, Lucrezia Biasutti, Johan Lund Pedersen, Michal Michalowsky.

All images © Rasmus Hjortsh

All drawings © COBE

> via COBE