The neighborhood of Chinatown has been divided in two since the construction of the Vine St Expressway and is in need of something to weave them back together. This pedestrian bridge and community center joins together these two sections both physically and culturally. This bridge utilizes traditional Chinese structural strategies and modern materials to merge together east and west.
The structural cage that houses the pedestrian bridge and retail shops extends the viaduct across the Vine St Expressway to the Chinatown community center, using overlapping structural members like the Chinese dougong brackets. The structure consists of only vertical and horizontal beams, to tie back to the post and lintel construction so commonly found in traditional Chinese architecture.
This bridge provides green space that is greatly needed in the commuity. Currently, the nearest park is Franklin Square, half a mile from the site of the bridge. There are small parks both on the bridge itself as well as in front of the community center. The front steps of the center are wide in order to provide seating in the shade and to create a gathering spot for the locals.
