The slow traffic bridge in Oirschot, a historical town in the south of The Netherlands, was opened in 2020. Conceived by West 8, the elegant and simple truss is ground-breaking in its use of wood as a primary material to span the 40-meter clearing across the Wilhelmina Canal.

The original bridge designed by West 8 consists of an iconic wooden main span with a half-timbered structure that rests on two robust brick headlands on both banks of the Wilhelminakanaal. The bridge runs diagonally across the canal in connection with the unique view line looking at the tower of St. Peter’s Basilica Church. The ramps with their bright red steel railings offer comfortable access for pedestrians and cyclists and create alternating views over the canal, culminating in a beautiful sightline towards Oirschot’s historical St Peters Church.

This monumental design of the bridge refers to the traditional and historic character of the Oirschotse centre, while the bridge presents itself as a new and iconic element in the region.

Connecting visitors directly to the town square and matching the character of the surrounding woodland, the bridge is transparent, compact in form, and uses Azobé wood to traverse the canal. The bridge is a pinnacle landmark for the Green Corridor, a 13 km long recreational route through a National Landscape which links the city of Eindhoven with the historical centre of Oirschot.

After installation, the bridge was named the “Stönner-Meijwaardbrug” after Rinus Stönner and Willem Meijwaard who lost their lives who were fighting with the Princess Irene Brigade against the Germans in this area in 1944.

West 8 is also the urban designer and landscape architect of concept design for the Green Corridor of provincial Eindhoven, which is currently being worked out by Nieuw Blauw. As a crucial part of this Green Corridor, this Oirschot Bridge over the Wilhelminakanaal will create a new recreational bicycle connection between the Market of Oirschot, the center of Eindhoven and Het Groene Woud.  More about the Green Corridor and the project development please also see website of Eindhoven here (in Dutch) for details.

Opdrachtgever/Client: Gemeente Oirschot – Municipality of Oirschot

Architect+Landschapsarchitect: West 8
Uitvoerend architect: wURck architectuur stedenbouw landschap
Constructief adviseur/Construction advisor:

RoyalHaskoningDHV

Team aannemer/Contractor Team:
Ballast Nedam
Houthandel Wijma Kampen
Staalbouw Nauta Heeg
Ingenieursbureau Wagemaker
Lekstroom Transport