A new gateway to UAA

A graceful archway links campus buildings on both sides of Providence Drive.

The new campus landmark links the Engineering & Industry Building (opening in 2015) to the Health Sciences Building (completed in 2011), connecting two of UAA's most recent buildings.

UAA tapped the architects of Livingston Slone and the engineers of Reid Middleton to design the bridge, requesting a visual gateway that celebrated the new generation of campus. The team opted for a double-arched walkway-sleek, unique and completely rooted on campus.

The Municipality closed Providence Drive over winter break so UAA could send in the cranes. For several days, crews welded the massive steel beams into place under the glimmering holiday lights draped on trees in the median.

Visually, the span adopts design elements of both its neighbors. The steel structure matches the silvery shimmer of the health building, while the insulated metal panels carry over onto the new engineering building.

Style aside, the span is also an impressive engineering feat.Unlike other stretches of the Spine, this newest bridge is completely self-supported and structurally independent of its neighboring buildings. Much like a backyard swing set, the leaning arches provide stability against predictable wind and seismic activity.

The engineers also installed nifty neoprene insulators wherever the glass-and-steel bridge connected to the arches (think of them like giant gloves for metal beams). Thanks to the neoprene, the cold outside doesn't readily transfer to the heated glass gallery.

The construction cost an estimated $4.4 million, which came partially from the under-budget Health Sciences construction. The walkway offers 23 feet of clearance and is entirely rooted on UAA property. Both the 230-foot bridge and the new engineering building will open for the fall 2015 semester. The span will offer safe transit to the health campus, a bright, sunny study space for students and, most visibly, a beautifully engineered landmark for UAA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEZggN9CFts

Written by J. Besl, UAA Office of University Advancement