Competition goals

The competition is intended to encourage students to explore innovative forms, design concepts, and manufacturing methods in bridge construction. We are looking for constructively interesting, statically appropriate, and material-efficient designs. The material and construction method can be chosen freely and innovatively by the students.

The key criteria for evaluating the entries submitted are:

• Creativity and innovation,
• material suitability and efficiency,
• design and buildability,
• integration of current research and development,
• Special features.

Task description

In June 2024, the City of Dresden and the German Federal Garden Show Society signed the implementation contract, sealing their joint plans for the Dresden Federal Garden Show (Bundesgartenschau, BUGA) 2033. This will be the first BUGA in Saxony since 1951, the birth year of the exhibition. The BUGA aims to reflect Dresden’s turbulent history and transform urban areas, which arose from the ruins of World War II, into attractive green and recreational spaces. Four areas have been selected as the main exhibition and event spaces for the BUGA.

The Südpark is one of these areas and is located just south of the main campus of the TUD Dresden University of Technology. Due to its hillside location, it offers a wide view of the Dresden city center and towards the Saxon Switzerland. Historically, parts of Südpark were used as a clay pit. After World War II, debris was deposited in the area. Today, the western part of Südpark is characterized by valuable succession areas, woodlands, and grove structures, while the southern and eastern parts are used for agriculture.

The area around the historic Bismarck Column, which stands on the site of the 1813 Battles and is part of the Bismarck Tower Cultural Monument located east of Südpark. The structure, built in 1906, is 23 meters high and offers a magnificent panoramic view of the Dresden cityscape from its viewing platform. The Bismarck Column is embedded in green spaces with a monument to Jean-Victor Moreau and the adjacent allotment garden “Schöne Aussicht & Räcknitzhöhe.” These areas, as well as the nearby Volkspark Räcknitz, will be included as exhibition spaces for the BUGA.

Currently, the Südpark and Bismarck Tower sites are separated by a main road. Since 2005, this road, called Bergstraße, has served as an important access to the A 17 highway and is an important traffic route for the city of Dresden. As part of the BUGA 2033 in Dresden, a barrier-free pedestrian and cyclist bridge over Bergstraße is to be built, creating a new attractive route between Südpark, the Bismarck Column, and Volkspark Räcknitz, extending the green corridor Beutlerpark – Bürgerwiese – Kaitzbach – Elbe. Due to its proximity to the highway, the bridge has the potential to become an architecturally valuable gateway to Dresden for visitors to the BUGA 2033 and beyond. The bridge has to span a width of about 40 meters.