Tondo

A footbridge wedged between two buildings in the Belgian Federal Parliament was explicitly designed as a spatial element rather than an infrastructural necessity. Named after a Renaissance term for a circular work of art that is supposed to fit everywhere, ‘Tondo’ is shaped like a ring. Its form, moreover, is a pragmatic solution to a technical issue: whereas the height difference between the floors of the two buildings would have made a linear pathway too steep and unsuitable for wheelchair users, the circular ‘detour’ spans the same distance with an accessible slope. Structurally, the roof is a stiff disc, made of prefabricated steel elements assembled on-site. The floor is suspended from the roof by thin metal rods painted white, rendering the structure almost invisible. Seen from a distance, the bridge appears as an opaque element, in the tradition of the Venetian Bridge of Sighs. Its coating of mirroring polished stainless steel panels reflects the eighteenth-century facade of the Parliament building and its recent extension across the street. From the inside, the curved glass facade allows a clear view towards the exterior. Conversely, views into the interior are reduced due to reflection. Still, if they look closely, passersby can glimpse the silhouettes of people crossing the bridge.