Splavarska Lent-Tabor Bridge: A Contemporary Wooden Landmark in Maribor

The Splavarska Lent-Tabor Bridge in Maribor, Slovenia, exemplifies a delicate balance between history, craftsmanship, and contemporary architecture. Designed by Burgos & Garrido arquitectos in collaboration with Bernabeu Ingenieros, this pedestrian bridge reconnects the banks of the Drava River while respecting the legacy of Maribor’s historic Stari Most (‘Old Bridge’).

Historical Context and Urban Connection

Maribor’s coachmen celebrated the opening of the Stari Most in 1912, a steel bridge that replaced the wooden structure causing traffic bottlenecks on the main route from Vienna to Trieste. Over time, while Stari Most became an iconic city landmark, it left the lower banks of the Drava disconnected.

The new Splavarska Bridge now restores this connection, situated adjacent to the Old Bridge yet standing out with its modern materials and subtle design. Unlike its predecessor, the bridge is silent and understated, highlighting the presence of Maribor’s industrial heritage while introducing a contemporary wooden aesthetic.

Materiality and Timeless Design

The bridge’s design is entirely wrapped in wood: azobe timber on the interior and stained larch on the exterior. This choice pays homage to the raftsmen who historically navigated the Drava, linking the city’s two shores. Over time, the wooden planks will weather naturally, developing a greyish patina that enhances their timeless character while referencing the logs transported down the Drava River in centuries past.

This thoughtful material expression ensures the bridge remains both functional and evocative, merging historical memory with contemporary urban design.

Structural Elegance

The Splavarska Lent-Tabor Bridge features a subtle arched profile supported by two steel girders flanking the deck. Its total length of 132 meters is divided into three spans of just over 42 meters each, resting on piers composed of slender, galvanized steel tubes of varying inclinations. This engineering solution gives the bridge a floating, lightweight appearance, emphasizing its abstract and modern identity.

Unlike the Stari Most, the bridge’s structural elements are understated, creating a clear aesthetic identity that feels both natural and artificial. The design reinforces its connective function while introducing playful features: a modernized version of the ‘tin telephone’—two glasses connected by a taut steel cable embedded in the parapet—invites pedestrians to interact with the bridge, making the crossing over the Drava a memorable experience.

A Bridge Between Past and Present

The Splavarska Bridge successfully balances heritage and contemporary design, offering a new icon for Maribor. Its wooden texture, arched elegance, and interactive elements make it not only a pedestrian link but also a celebration of the city’s cultural history, industrial heritage, and natural beauty.

All photographs are works of Roland Halbe