Tavanasa Bridge

bridge, Tavanasa, Switzerland

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

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The Tavanasa Bridge, built in Switzerland in 1905 by engineer Robert Maillart, was a significant example of reinforced concrete bridge design. Maillart's innovative approach involved cutting out the spandrel walls, creating a technically superior and visually new form. This bridge featured concrete arches connected by hinges to both abutments and the crown, allowing for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes without internal stress. Unfortunately, the Tavanasa Bridge was destroyed by an avalanche in 1927. Maillart's work revolutionized bridge design by combining engineering principles with aesthetic expression, utilizing concrete's properties in surprising ways.12

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Maillart’s innovations
…bridge over the Vorderrhein at Tavanasa, with a span of 50 meters (167 feet), Maillart cut out the spandrel walls to achieve a technically superior form that was also visually new. As at Zuoz, the concrete arches of the Tavanasa bridge were connected by hinges to both abutments and to…
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…bridge over the Vorderrhein at Tavanasa, with a span of 50 meters (167 feet), Maillart cut out the spandrel walls to achieve a technically superior form that was also visually new. As at Zuoz, the concrete arches of the Tavanasa bridge were connected by hinges to both abutments and to…
Read More