Ponte Meier

Ponte Meier, designed by Richard Meier and built between 2012 and 2016 over the Tanaro, links Alessandria with its eighteenth-century Cittadella fortress. Its separate decks accommodate road traffic and pedestrians.

Why it matters

Ponte Meier is a contemporary work by Richard Meier in Alessandria. It reconnects the urban fabric with the Cittadella, the city's eighteenth-century star-shaped fortress, replacing a crossing demolished in 2009. Its white, modern form contrasts with Alessandria's military heritage, while the separated pedestrian deck frames views of the river and fortress walls.

What to notice

The bridge's design solves an unusual brief with unusual means. Instead of several piers, the structure crosses the Tanaro with a single span of more than 185 metres, its great arch leaning outward so that the thrust of the curve is eliminated within the structure itself. Three elements compose the whole — the arch, a pedestrian deck and a separate vehicle deck — curved around an almond-shaped central void and tied together by steel beams and cables. The whole rises to about 32.5 metres at its highest point, and its white finish, Meier's signature, makes the silhouette read almost weightless against the river and sky. The wooden pedestrian and cycle deck is separated from road traffic. Preserved bases of the old bridge's piers remain visible in the riverbed, while the Cittadella's walls and bastions stand to the south.

Context and history

A bridge has linked this stretch of the Tanaro to the fortress district for generations; the crossing also served the Bergoglio district, tied to the city since the Middle Ages. The previous structure was demolished in 2009, and the city commissioned a replacement from Richard Meier & Partners — a notable choice, since the studio is known for museums and civic buildings rather than infrastructure. Construction lasted roughly four years, from 2012 to 2016, using white high-performance concrete and steel. The result is described as the studio's first bridge carrying both vehicles and pedestrians. The project's archaeology mattered as much as its engineering: vestiges of the old bridge's abutments were preserved with input from the Archaeological and Monumental Superintendencies, so the new crossing keeps a physical memory of its predecessor. The completed bridge restored the connection between the city and the Cittadella.