Jul 28, 2016 7:00 AM

Gallery: A Roller Coaster Inspired This Stunning Bridge—in a Not Terrifying Way

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Architecture studio Penda designed the San Shan bridge for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
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The conceptual bridge (not yet approved) is anchored by a series of three overlapping circles.

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From the front, it looks like the Olympic rings.
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From the side it appears to be a series of mountains and valleys.

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From above, a strand of DNA.
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The design is based on a bicycle wheel, with the cables acting as the steadying spokes.

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The architects say they were inspired by the aesthetics of a roller coaster. They chose to leave the five steel tubes as is to celebrate the engineering.
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The bridge is what you would call a 360 degree suspension. The cables stretch from the steel rings to the top, bottom, and sides of the bridge deck.

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The cables stretch in a straight line from the steel tubes to the bridge deck.

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The tubes intersect at the top and bottom.
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From the side, the bridge evokes a range of mountains and valleys.

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