Double Helix Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Helix Bridge , previously known as the Double Helix Bridge , is a pedestrian bridge
linking Marina Centre
with Marina South
in the Marina Bay area in Singapore
. It was officially opened on 24 April 2010 at 9 pm, however only half was opened due to ongoing construction at the Marina Bay Sands. It is located beside the Benjamin Sheares Bridge
and is accompanied by a vehicular bridge, known as the Bayfront Bridge. The entire bridge was opened on 18 July 2010 to complete the entire walkway around Marina Bay.
The bridge complements other major development projects planned in the area, including the highly-anticipated Integrated Resort
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer
, Gardens by the Bay
and the 438,000 m² business and financial centre which will be ready by 2012.
, and Singapore based Architects 61. The bridge is expected to be a focal point for the community, linking cultural, recreational and entertainment facilities in the area and complements the overall pedestrian scheme of Marina Bay. The bridge also functions as a gallery where children's paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing.
Canopies (made of fritted-glass and perforated steel mesh) are incorporated along parts of the inner spiral to provide shade for pedestrians. The bridge has four viewing platforms sited at strategic locations which provide stunning views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay. At night, the bridge will be illuminated by a series of lights that highlight the double-helix structure, thereby creating a special visual experience for the visitors.
Pairs of coloured letters c and g, as well as a and t on the bridge which are lit up at night in red and green represent cytosine
, guanine
, adenine
and thymine
, the four bases of DNA
.
The Helix is fabricated from approximately 650 tonnes of Duplex Stainless Steel and 1000 tonnes of carbon steel used in the temporary structure and also helping the bridge to get the helix shape.
The Land Transport Authority
claims it is a world first in architectural and engineering bridge design.
The construction of the bridge was undertaken by the collaboration of Sato Kogyo Pte Ltd and TTJ Design and Engineering Pte Ltd. Both companies had their full support to help to create this bridge. Sato Kogyo specialized in building a concrete span bridge which is located parallel to the Helix bridge while TTJ Design and Engineering led in the fabrication and erection of the Helix structure. Key personnel in the project from TTJ Design and Engineering were Mr Teo Hock Chwee (Managing Director, Mr Gaynel Velasco (Senior Project Manager), Mr Teo Teck Heong (GM), Mr Arnel Alcorin (APM), Mr Tiung Chee Wee (Engr) and many others who contributed to the whole span of the bridge. Hundred of workers have contributed to the completion of the bridge.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
linking Marina Centre
Marina Centre
Marina Centre is a zone of reclaimed land within the Downtown Core in the southern part of Singapore. Together with the Marina South area, it encloses the sheltered Marina Bay....
with Marina South
Marina South
Marina South is a peninsula adjacent to the Central Business District in Singapore, and also the name of an urban planning area in the Central Area of Singapore's Central Region.-History:...
in the Marina Bay area in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It was officially opened on 24 April 2010 at 9 pm, however only half was opened due to ongoing construction at the Marina Bay Sands. It is located beside the Benjamin Sheares Bridge
Benjamin Sheares Bridge
Opened in 1981, the Benjamin Sheares Bridge is the longest bridge in Singapore, spanning 1.8 km, and the tallest, at 20 m. It is named after Dr Benjamin Henry Sheares, the 2nd president of the Republic. The bridge is part of the East Coast Parkway...
and is accompanied by a vehicular bridge, known as the Bayfront Bridge. The entire bridge was opened on 18 July 2010 to complete the entire walkway around Marina Bay.
The bridge complements other major development projects planned in the area, including the highly-anticipated Integrated Resort
Integrated Resort
An integrated resort is a resort with a wide variety of leisure and entertainment attractions, all housed in one resort property. The first known integrated resort began in early 1980s in Malaysia, when Resorts World Genting was developed from a single hotel with casino facility to a variety of...
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer
Singapore Flyer
The Singapore Flyer is a giant Ferris wheel located in Singapore, constructed in 2005–2008. Described by its operators as an observation wheel, it reaches 42 stories high, with a total height of , making it the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, taller than the Star of Nanchang and taller than...
, Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay consists of three distinctive waterfront gardens – Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central, spanning a total of 101 hectares. They are set in the heart of Singapore’s new downtown Marina Bay, encircling the Marina Reservoir like a green necklace...
and the 438,000 m² business and financial centre which will be ready by 2012.
Design and architecture
The design consortium is an international team comprising Australian architects the Cox Group and engineers ArupArup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
, and Singapore based Architects 61. The bridge is expected to be a focal point for the community, linking cultural, recreational and entertainment facilities in the area and complements the overall pedestrian scheme of Marina Bay. The bridge also functions as a gallery where children's paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing.
Canopies (made of fritted-glass and perforated steel mesh) are incorporated along parts of the inner spiral to provide shade for pedestrians. The bridge has four viewing platforms sited at strategic locations which provide stunning views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay. At night, the bridge will be illuminated by a series of lights that highlight the double-helix structure, thereby creating a special visual experience for the visitors.
Pairs of coloured letters c and g, as well as a and t on the bridge which are lit up at night in red and green represent cytosine
Cytosine
Cytosine is one of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA, along with adenine, guanine, and thymine . It is a pyrimidine derivative, with a heterocyclic aromatic ring and two substituents attached . The nucleoside of cytosine is cytidine...
, guanine
Guanine
Guanine is one of the four main nucleobases found in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, the others being adenine, cytosine, and thymine . In DNA, guanine is paired with cytosine. With the formula C5H5N5O, guanine is a derivative of purine, consisting of a fused pyrimidine-imidazole ring system with...
, adenine
Adenine
Adenine is a nucleobase with a variety of roles in biochemistry including cellular respiration, in the form of both the energy-rich adenosine triphosphate and the cofactors nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide , and protein synthesis, as a chemical component of DNA...
and thymine
Thymine
Thymine is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid of DNA that are represented by the letters G–C–A–T. The others are adenine, guanine, and cytosine. Thymine is also known as 5-methyluracil, a pyrimidine nucleobase. As the name suggests, thymine may be derived by methylation of uracil at...
, the four bases of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
.
The Helix is fabricated from approximately 650 tonnes of Duplex Stainless Steel and 1000 tonnes of carbon steel used in the temporary structure and also helping the bridge to get the helix shape.
The Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
claims it is a world first in architectural and engineering bridge design.
The construction of the bridge was undertaken by the collaboration of Sato Kogyo Pte Ltd and TTJ Design and Engineering Pte Ltd. Both companies had their full support to help to create this bridge. Sato Kogyo specialized in building a concrete span bridge which is located parallel to the Helix bridge while TTJ Design and Engineering led in the fabrication and erection of the Helix structure. Key personnel in the project from TTJ Design and Engineering were Mr Teo Hock Chwee (Managing Director, Mr Gaynel Velasco (Senior Project Manager), Mr Teo Teck Heong (GM), Mr Arnel Alcorin (APM), Mr Tiung Chee Wee (Engr) and many others who contributed to the whole span of the bridge. Hundred of workers have contributed to the completion of the bridge.