Image Courtesy: Zaha Hadid Architects
A striking new bridge spanning the mouth of Taiwan’s Tamsui River has officially opened, setting a world record as the longest single-mast asymmetric cable-stayed bridge ever built.
Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the Danjiang Bridge stretches 920 meters between the Tamsui and Bali districts of New Taipei City. The structure is supported by a single 200-meter-tall concrete mast and features an asymmetric cable arrangement that allows it to maintain a minimal visual footprint while crossing the estuary, according to Yanko Design.
Unlike many large cable-stayed bridges that rely on multiple towers and supports across the water, the Danjiang Bridge uses just one primary mast. Engineers and architects intentionally adopted the minimalist design to preserve views of the river and the area’s famous sunsets, creating a structure that functions as both transportation infrastructure and a new landmark.
The bridge’s 71-meter-wide deck accommodates a mix of transportation modes, including vehicle traffic, pedestrian walkways, cycling routes, and provisions for a future extension of Taiwan’s Danhai Light Rail system. This multi-use approach reflects a growing trend in urban infrastructure projects that prioritize connectivity across different forms of transport rather than focusing solely on automobiles.
Building a bridge of this scale in Taiwan also required extensive earthquake resilience measures. The structure incorporates cable stays, hydraulic dampers, friction pendulum bearings, synthetic rubber pads, and reinforced support systems designed to withstand earthquakes measuring magnitude 7 or higher.
The project highlights the increasing role of architecture firms in shaping major public infrastructure. While Zaha Hadid Architects is best known for museums, cultural venues, and futuristic civic buildings, the Danjiang Bridge demonstrates how contemporary architectural design is increasingly being applied to transportation networks and public works.
Construction began after the firm won an international design competition in 2015 and continued for roughly a decade before the bridge’s completion. The result is a piece of infrastructure that combines engineering performance with architectural ambition, creating a new gateway for one of Taiwan’s most recognizable waterfront landscapes.