Sabetjohk pedestrian bridge. kåfjord. norway. 2011.

Gorsabrua is a pedestrian bridge constructed in aluminum over a gorge in Kåfjordalen in the north of Norway near the border with Finland. The bridge spans a 53-meter stretch over a spectacular waterfall and the 140-meter-deep gorge below.

Due to the location, it was not possible to install supports for suspension bridge, which had previously been proposed on the site by another design team. This would have required horizontal anchoring and significant interventions in the nature. The project became too complicated and expensive, and the assignment was therefore re-launched. Ghilardi + Hellsten Arkitekter, DIFK and the Austrian engineer Bitschnau submitted a bid for a bridge that would not interfere with the nature at all, and which significantly reduced the costs.

The idea was to construct a bridge that could be lifted into place by helicopter. All foundation work was to be done by hand on site without the use of large machinery. Due to the lift-in procedure, the premise was to construct a bridge with a maximum weight of 4 tons, which was the total weight that the helicopter could lift. The bridge also had to be able to be transported from Austria to Sabethjoka in just one truck. To achieve the desired weight, the bridge was dimensioned with light but robust aluminum plates. It was constructed in different thicknesses and all excess metal was milled away to further reduce the weight.

It was a great, but not unnerving sight, to see the bridge lowered into place by helicopter over the gorge, with the waterfall and the steep mountain as a backdrop. The entire project took a year from start to finish and is today a popular tourist destination for tourists. Every Saturday in the summer months, bungee jumping is offered from the bridge over the waterfall.