Beehive Bridge

The Beehive Bridge is a vibrant display of yellow and orange hues, with metal detailing that highlights the overt allusion to a beehive, emblematic of the Bee mascot of the industrious city of New Britain. The bridge’s side panels create a “honeycomb” shape of fluid curved motion. There are also abstract sculptures of bees on the end sides of the bridge made of the same metal as the bridge detailing.  

 Svigals + Partners’ Chris Bockstael was the Principal-in-Charge and Project Management, working with Marissa Dionne Mead, Svigals’ current Director of Art Integration. Mead was the Project Architect and design lead for Beehive Bridge’s railings and sculptures. 

 The lighthearted bridge design accomplishes a difficult urban repair by splicing from New Britain’s downtown to a shopping center in the north, across the gash in the urban fabric created by the Route 72 Highway. The designers at Svigals + Partners drew inspiration from New Britain’s seal and town motto: “Industria implet alveare et melle fruitur” meaning “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey.”  The placement of seating and mood-creating lighting has made the bridge and landscaped gardens on either end a place for community gathering. 

 The Beehive Bridge and other urban repair projects were championed by Mayor Erin Stewart and New Britain’s Director of Public Works, Mark Moriarty.  Since its creation, The Beehive Bridge has since been awarded the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence National Merit Award, recognizing this extraordinary architectural project on the national level.