Kruunuvuori Bridge

Helsinki’s Kruunuvuori Bridge, designed by WSP in Finland, is one of the world’s longest bridges solely for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.

Location

Helsinki, Finland

Client

City of Helsinki

Project Status

Opened in 2026

The bridge creates a new maritime crossing across Helsinki’s eastern waterfront, connecting the neighbourhoods of Kruunuvuorenranta, Korkeasaari, Laajasalo and central Helsinki. It is opening in phases, starting with pedestrian and cycling access in April 2026 and tram services at the end of 2026.

A growing waterfront needed a better way across

Eastern Helsinki’s waterfront districts have grown rapidly, increasing demand for direct and reliable connections to the city centre. With the Kruunuvuori route crossing open water and protected shoreline areas within Helsinki’s Central Park, the City of Helsinki required a solution that could improve access while taking into account environmental sensitivities, and prioritize public transport, walking and cycling.

Designing the crossing around how people move

In designing the new bridge, our team focused on how people would experience the crossing, both visually and functionally. We developed a structure extending over one kilometre that appears light and open, helping minimise its presence in the surrounding landscape.

The bridge’s horizontal curvature responds to both structural requirements and user experience. By walking or cycling along a curved alignment, users can better perceive their destination. Our team carefully designed interior layouts and functional details to support safe and comfortable movement for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.

Lighting designed to minimise effects on the night sky and shoreline

As the bridge sits within a protected coastal environment, our team treated lighting design as a critical part of balancing safety, visibility and environmental sensitivity. We aimed for a restrained overall effect and glare control to minimise stray light and visual intrusion on the surrounding landscape and enable safe walking and cycling.

The lighting of the bridge’s 135 metre central pylon, now a distinctive new element of Helsinki’s skyline, changes according to the time of day and season and can be adjusted for special occasions.

HEIGHT

135 m

LENGTH

1,191 m

DESIGN LIFE (YEARS)

200

Engineering to support a 200-year service life

The Kruunuvuori Bridge has a specified design life of 200 years. This exceptionally long lifespan placed high demands on structural design, material selection and long term maintenance planning. Our team identified components that would be subject to the highest stresses and that cannot be replaced, which shaped key design decisions.

Concrete structures in the water fluctuation zone were designed to meet enhanced durability requirements. We detailed steel structures to reduce fatigue risks, particularly in joints and stiffeners, prioritising simple and robust solutions. We also addressed seasonal conditions, including snow and ice accumulation on cables, through structural measures that support safe operation and maintenance.

Using digital models to manage complexity over time

We delivered the project as a fully model based design across all technical disciplines, developing digital solutions to manage the bridge’s size and geometric complexity. In 2017, the project became one of the first bridge projects in the world to apply parametric modelling in bridge design.

During the development of the bridge, digital modelling improved coordination between disciplines and supported clearer collaboration with stakeholders through visualisation and testing of design alternatives. The digital approach continues to add value after delivery: our team developed a digital twin of the completed bridge that supports long term inspection, maintenance and asset management.

One integrated team across every discipline

WSP in Finland coordinated bridge and structural design, wind engineering, geotechnical and rock engineering design, infrastructure, traffic, architectural design and digital modelling within a single multidisciplinary team. This integrated approach allowed for close coordination across technical disciplines and supported efficient delivery of a complex maritime structure.

Recognised for digital bridge design

Kruunuvuori Bridge has received international recognition for its use of information modelling. In October 2024, the project won the Tekla BIM Awards Global competition, which recognises construction projects demonstrating excellence in digital design and delivery. Earlier the same year, the bridge also won Finland’s national BIM competition. And in 2025, the Finnish Concrete Association recognised it as the “Concrete Structure of the Year”.