Nancy Pauw Bridge offers a timber arch across Bow River in Banff
The Nancy Pauw Bridge, designed by StructureCraft, fulfills a century-old vision for Banff, Canada, by connecting Central Park to the Banff Recreation Grounds. Spanning 80 meters, this innovative timber arch bridge provides striking views of the Rocky Mountains and a graceful crossing over the Bow River. During its first summer, it welcomed over 300,000 users, showcasing ambitious design and construction.
Banff’s newest pedestrian bridge connects key social infrastructure while serving as a destination itself. Like its sister bridge downstream, the Nancy Pauw Bridge features an 80m clear span, constructed using stepped Glulam girders and weathering steel haunches. This slender yet robust structure harmonizes with its surroundings, offering uninterrupted views while maintaining environmental integrity. The bridge represents the realization of a 108-year-old plan initially envisioned in 1914. Thanks to a private donation from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation, this long-held dream became a reality on September 6, 2022, with hundreds attending its grand opening.
all images courtesy of StructureCraft
StructureCraft’s Engineering Blends Precision and Sustainability
The Bow River’s glacier-fed waters and its sensitive ecosystem posed unique design challenges for StructureCraft’s engineers. To address these, they implemented a clear span design to protect the river, incorporated minimal slopes and ramps for accessibility, ensured adequate flood clearance and wildlife passage, and crafted a form that seamlessly blends with the Rocky Mountain landscape. The resulting structure is a shallow arch with a rise-to-span ratio of 1:20, a feat previously unattempted with timber. Achieving this required extensive non-linear soil-structure analysis to accommodate the arch’s significant lateral thrust, stiffened supports at the ends to prevent snap-through buckling, and large-diameter piles with thick pile caps to stabilize the foundation in dense sedimentary soils. Balancing technical precision with natural beauty, the design features slender Glulam beams and weathering steel haunches, ensuring both structural stability and visual harmony.
the Nancy Pauw Bridge spans 80 meters, offering a graceful timber arch across the Bow River in Banff
To minimize environmental impact, the bridge sections were prefabricated and assembled offsite into two sections. Glulam beams were fabricated, coated, and transported to the site, where two 40-meter-long bridge halves, each weighing 32,000 kg, were assembled onshore. These sections were erected simultaneously and joined with a central thrust hinge, which was later secured with straps. Strict tolerances ensured structural integrity, with deflections during construction proving smaller than anticipated. The efficient installation process allowed the bridge to open ahead of schedule and under budget. The Nancy Pauw Bridge’s slender design (span-to-depth ratio >65) and sustainable materials showcase engineering excellence while blending effortlessly into Banff’s natural beauty.
slender Glulam girders and weathering steel haunches create the diaphragm to resist lateral movements
crafted to harmonize with the Rocky Mountains, the bridge’s design emphasizes environmental integrity
a central thrust hinge connects the two bridge halves, secured with straps for long-term stability
more than a crossing, the Nancy Pauw Bridge is a blend of technical precision and natural harmony
minimal slopes and ramps ensure accessibility for all users while preserving the natural landscape
