Skyway

A Skyway (also Skywalk Walkway or Skybridge, demarcation is not unique ) is an above-ground pedestrian bridge or footbridge.

  • Either the Skyway is outdoors, connecting two buildings together and then must be designed to be closed in order to provide protection from the elements (and thus applies even when the interior).
  • Or it is in the interior of a building - for example in a factory or in a covered atrium of a hotel - and so connects two parts of the building / wing together.

Skyways are often located in the first or second floor, in tall buildings but also about. They are part of the horizontal development.

Areas of application and shape

  • In large building complexes they allow convenient and safe passage from one building to another.
  • A Skyway provides a connection between an existing building and its extension.
  • Between two existing buildings that are supplied to a shared ( eg, authority, museum), join subsequently the two previously separate access systems into one. Such subsequently inserted skywalks put in their Architekursprache often the design of the existing building from. Are the two buildings of different construction times, often with different floor heights or are building on a slope, the connecting bridges must also compensate for small differences in height between the different floor levels.
  • In multi-story atrium -like lobbies of hotels or office buildings they allow open spaces and sometimes spectacular spatial experiences.
  • For grade- crossing of roads. Advantages result from the reduction of the risk of accidents and less harmful emissions ( through improved traffic flow ). Disadvantages arise for accessibility.
  • In Transit areas (airport, train station), where roads and pedestrian traffic cross over.
  • When viewing platforms, which are often called " Skywalk " ( Grand Canyon Skywalk Dachstein Skywalk ) or " Skybridge " ( Petronas Towers ). This is usually around Stahlkonstruktioinen.
  • Related Skyway systems, see the next section.

Networks

Especially in the inner cities of North American cities emerged entire networks of skyways that connect several blocks together. These paths are not public spaces, but close at night, similar to the passages and places in shopping malls. The world's largest contiguous Skyway Systems is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Calgary, Alberta. The Minneapolis Skyway System connects to a length of almost 13 km (other sources 18 km) 69 city blocks downtown. The Plus 15 or 15 called Network of Calgary comprises a total length of approximately 16 kilometers. Partially completed these networks through tunnels, the underground also connect buildings together and thus result in a mixed form with the underground cities.

Cities with Skywalk networks (selection)

Dankwarderode Castle Covent Garden London Skywalk (disambiguation) Atrium (architecture) Underground city Georgia (U.S. state) Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Duluth (Minnesota) Paradise (Nevada) Rochester (Minnesota) Saint Paul (Minnesota) Washington (state)
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