Adinkerke BRIDGE, Adinkerke-De Panne, Belgium

Radiant Revival

Belgium

Dating back to the late 19th century, Adinkerke Brug, also known as Valentino Bridge, is a historic pedestrian walkway crossing the Kanaal Nieuwpoort – Duinkerke in the small Belgian town of Adinkerke-De Panne. This remarkable structure showcases a unique design, consisting of iron beams assembled without diagonal connections, embodying the principles of the Vierendeel truss.

Arthur Vierendeel, the Belgian engineer and professor who invented this innovative structure, conceived the idea of a trussless bridge in 1895, challenging conventional engineering practices of the time. His design revolutionized structural engineering, relying on the strength and rigidity of rectangular frames, eliminating the need for diagonal reinforcements. To demonstrate the practicality and strength of his invention, Vierendeel constructed a 31.5-meter span bridge at his own expense for the 1897 World Fair in Brussels. The bridge was loaded and tested in front of an audience, validating his calculations and proving the innovative design's effectiveness.

Year

2024

Location

Adinkerke-De Panne, Belgium

Lighting design

SPECTRUM, Barbara Van den Broeck

Product supply

KEY4LIGHT

Contractor

ANTARES S.R.L.

Distributor

Hi Lite Next S.r.l.

Pictures

Carels Photography

Adinkerke Bridge stands as one of the few surviving examples of Vierendeel bridges, representing a significant milestone in civil engineering history. Its craftsmanship and historical importance make it an enduring symbol of ingenuity and a testament to Vierendeel's legacy in modern bridge construction.

KEY4LIGHT, a Belgian company specializing in bespoke lighting solutions, collaborated with the public electricity company Fluvius and the lighting design studio SPECTRUM to finalize the project and provide practical support. To highlight the bridge's distinctive architectural design during nighttime, they utilized Griven's flagship Parade L MC series LED fixtures, renowned for their uniform and consistent lighting performance.

Leveraging the advanced multichip optics of the Parade L MC series, these modular bars provided exceptional light distribution and vibrant colour uniformity. A total of 38 Parade L MC 1 units and 12 Parade L MC 2 units in RGBW colour configuration, equipped with spot optics, were strategically installed using fixing brackets along the base of the bridge's contours. This setup delivered the desired intensity of light and colour, accentuating the bridge's unique profile.

Given the bridge's close proximity to the seaside, all fixtures underwent an anti-saline treatment to ensure durability in the corrosive marine environment. Additionally, visors were installed on the fixtures to optimize light direction and minimize glare, enhancing both functionality and visual appeal.

Credits:
Lighting design: SPECTRUM, Barbara Van den Broeck
installation: Fluvius
Product supply: KEY4LIGHT
Pictures: Carels Photography

Products installed:
38x PARADE L MC 1 RGBW with spot optics, visors, 80mm fixing brackets, and anti-saline treatment
12x PARADE L MC 2 RGBW with spot optics, visors, 80mm fixing brackets, and anti-saline treatment