There are many spectacular bridges worldwide, but one of my favorites is the underrated El Puente de la Mujer (The Women’s Bridge) in Argentina. Designed by the Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava, El Puente de la Mujer is a footbridge spanning the Rio Dique in Puerto Madero, one of the most exclusive harbor areas in Buenos Aires.
Calatrava designed the structure in the 1990s as part of a development strategy to revitalize Argentina’s port area. The design challenge was to create a bridge that would allow people to access the areas on both sides of the harbor without blocking boat traffic. Thus, El Puente de la Mujer has a central section that is suspended by cables and can rotate 90 degrees to allow boats to pass underneath. The central section is supported by a singular, 34-meter high steel point.
The lyrical, asymmetric design of the structure is meant to represent a couple dancing the tango: the singular mast symbolizing a man curving over a bending woman. In this way, the bridge connects to Argentine history since tango originated in the diverse communities of Buenos Aires in the late 18th century.
El Puente de la Mujer was constructed in the Basque Country of Spain and then shipped to Argentina for assembly. It opened for use in December 2001 and is now a functional crossing point on the harbor as well as a popular tourist destination. The bridge is made of concrete and steel and then paved with plastic “wood” made from recycled bottles. In this way, it represents Argentina’s commitment to beat the forefront of modern architecture in South America and to be a leader in eco-friendly construction.