Farmgate Footbridge: Promoting pedestrian safety and urban mobility

In the bustling streets of Farmgate, pedestrians find themselves trapped in a relentless dance of dodging vehicles and the mere act of crossing a road can be a perilous adventure. Thankfully, the Farmgate footbridge emerges as a solution to this longstanding problem -- a safe route for pedestrians in a city dominated by automobiles. The bridge, demolished about one and a half years ago, was reopened on October 15.

Taking inspiration from the architectural practices of Louis I Kahn, designer of our National Parliament Building, Shareq Rauf Chowdhury, principal architect, and Nur-e-Dipha Muttaqi Ananya, architect and urban transport planner of URBECO Consultants Limited, have designed the architectural and urban transport planning of the footbridge.

The designer team was the winner of the ARCASIA Awards for Architecture in 2015 for socially inclusive design and the FuturArc Green Leadership Award in 2014.

Shareq Chowdhury informs, "Our goal has been to encourage people to use the footbridge and promote healthy urban living. We tried to design a bridge that people from all walks of life can use conveniently, unlike most mega projects in Dhaka. This footbridge will be a part of their daily lives."

The design of this bridge is a fusion of modernity and functionality. Having a width of 21 feet, the footbridge is 206 feet long. It connects both sides of the bustling road, easing the daily commute for thousands of people, who frequent the Farmgate area. The main purpose of widening the bridge is to allow pedestrians to walk with ease.

Shareq specifies that the bridge has an additional wing of 70 feet in length that connects towards Holy Cross School and College. With well-constructed railings, 24/7 CCTV monitoring, and proper lighting, it provides a safe and well-illuminated passage even during nighttime.

About the design features and aesthetic elements of the bridge, Ananya shares, "We tried to explore a contemporary interpretation of Louis I Kahn's experiments with diffuse light and truss structures and attempted to rethink the concept of footbridge as an elevated public realm by incorporating urban pocket spaces with planter boxes." 

"The three-pocket spaces on the side of the bridge have been placed so that people can stand, and enjoy the view. The visual permeability and diffuse lighting through the tensile structure allows passive surveillance and safety for not only women and children but also a large number of students using this bridge".

According to the architects, there will be a plaza under the bridge so that thousands of people, including school students, can get off the bus and go directly across.

This pedestrian bridge and the plaza will facilitate the much-required connectivity of the public transport network between metro rail, buses, and feeder modes for the educational institutes that exist within this vicinity.

Beyond its functional aspects, the Farmgate footbridge is a stunning sight to behold. Its sleek, contemporary design seamlessly blends with the landscape of the elevated expressway and metro rail -- adding an element of architectural beauty to the city.

On the footbridge, people can be seen taking selfies or admiring the view. Shareq and Ananya designed the Farmgate footbridge with inclusivity in mind so that the bridge serves the people and speaks for the city itself.

As our city continues to grow, such projects are vital for creating a safer, more efficient, and vibrant urban environment. The Farmgate footbridge is not just a structure made of steel and concrete; this new addition to the cityscape is a promise of better days to come and a reminder that progress is, indeed, a continuous journey.