Lyon Bridge | OMA - Office for Metropolitan Architecture

Historically, Lyon’s development has largely moved east, where the terrain is flatter. The west, by contrast, with its hilly topography and pastoral landscape, has remained less dense and harder to reach from the center. That’s now changing—plans are underway to increase density and public transportation.

Two connections are needed: a tramway—simple, efficient and direct – and a pedestrian and cyclist passage—equally efficient but also expected to constitute an experience in itself. The straightforward solution would be to build two separate bridges.

Our proposal resolves the inherent contradiction within a single structure, efficient yet experiential, bowing to the authority of the historical context yet asserting its own character.
Inspired by the topography of the two banks, the design takes on an almost invisible presence on the green, steep western side, La Balme, more prominent on the flat Confluence side.
Great emphasis is placed on the landscape design of the two areas.

On the Confluence side, pedestrians walk on a light, suspended structure above the tall grasses of the existing water gardens. Here, the bridge becomes a landmark along the Saône, enhancing its visibility. The open area near the former harbormaster’s building, partly covered by the crossing, is turned into a public space serving both passersby and the building’s new users.
On the opposite bank, we propose restoring the historic path along La Balme, a forgotten route that blends into the landscape overlooking the river. Meanwhile, the tram tunnel head is treated as a surgical intervention into the hill, preserving as much of the surrounding natural ground as possible.

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Location: Lyon, France
Client: SYTRAL Mobilités
Year: 2025
Program: Tram, pedestrian and bicycle bridge (224 m long and 13,65 m wide); bridgeheads
(ramps, bicycle and pedestrian path, landscape and public space); tunnel head
Partner: Reinier de Graaf
Associate: Gilles Guyot
Project Architect: Anton Anikeev
Team: Yasemin Parlar, Francois Riollot, Suet Ying Yuen
Visualization: Stefania Trozzi, Diego Iacono
Model: Tijmen Klone, Marc Heumer, Arthur Wong
COLLABORATORS
Engineering: WSP
Heritage Specialist: DDA
Landscape Architects: MRP
Lighting Design: Les Éclaireurs
Visualisation: OMA & HISM