The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has announced the winner of an architectural competition for Thu Thiem 4 Bridge. First prize went to design TT42, submitted by a consortium of TECCO1, T.Y.Lin International Engineering Consulting and CUBIC Architecture.
The bridge will comprise steel arches, arch suspension cables, steel girders, a pedestrian bridge and supporting piers.
Its most distinctive feature is a second bridge designed exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists. Rather than running along either side of the main carriageway, it will be built as a separate structure beneath and interwoven with the main bridge. The design is unprecedented among bridges in Ho Chi Minh City.
The design team said the concept was inspired by the experience of Ba Son Bridge, also known as Thu Thiem 2 Bridge. After the bridge opened, it became a popular destination for residents and visitors, but its narrow pavements made walking there potentially unsafe amid traffic.
A park beneath the bridge will provide public space, with pedestrian areas directly connected to the bridge’s dedicated walkway.
According to the design team, the integration of the main arch, main girders, transverse bracing system and pedestrian bridge will improve structural efficiency. Attaching the pedestrian bridge to the main vehicle bridge will also cost significantly less than building a separate pedestrian bridge.
As the bridge will cross the Saigon River, it must provide a navigational clearance of 15 metres in height and 80 metres in width. Based on these requirements, the designers have proposed an arch bridge with a 180-metre main span.
Thu Thiem 4 Bridge will cross the Saigon River, connecting Tan Thuan Ward with An Khanh Ward. The project was approved by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council on February 6, with a total investment of more than VND 5.063 trillion (USD 194.7 million), funded by the city budget.
The bridge will provide the fourth connection to the Thu Thiem Peninsula. The existing routes are Thu Thiem Bridge, the Saigon River Tunnel and Ba Son Bridge.
