gerald desmond bridge
long beach, california
This design for the Gerald Desmond Bridge created a unique opportunity to create a monumental gateway that is sensitive to the contextual surroundings and the Green Port of Long Beach’s future legacy. The bridge design is a state-of-the-art structure, which empowers and enhances the identity of the communities it connects and helps brand the Green Port of Long Beach as a major West Coast destination. This will be the first cable stayed bridge in California. In this instance, the bridge serves as an urban centerpiece for a proud and productive community.
MacDonald Architects' concept for the Gerald Desmond Bridge was designed with four cable spans for the main span. A decorative lighting program allowed the bridge a dramatic presence and the ability to stand out at night. All four cable stay spans would have been alternately lit up by LED light fixtures, giving a positive/negative pattern in elevation view. The fixtures themselves fade away from view focusing the eye to the glowing cable spans.
The bridge design was a collaboration between MacDonald Architects, CH2M Hill Engineers, Skanska, and Buckland & Taylor LTD. This design was a finalist for the Design/Build contract for the replacement of the original bridge.