Designed to sit elegantly along the Caribbean coastline of Martinique, the 304m single span, cable-stay bridge provides a new pedestrian and road connection across the Fond Lahaye valley.

The bridge consists of a pair of tall, v-shaped masts and a cable-stayed steel deck, creating a visual landmark inspired by Martinique’s passion for Yole racing. The masts lean back to open up towards the sky, maximising views through the valley and echoing the movement of Yole masts through the wind.

The slender steel bridge deck floats lightly above the valley, its shaping a play of light and shadow on its smooth, seamless and reflective skin. The forestay cable connections add sculptural detail to the soffit, expressing how loads are transferred from the deck to the cables. Its profile and detailing resonate with the rounded wooden hull and circular poles of the Martinican Yole boat.

A noise barrier along the inner side of the bridge takes the shape, colour and pattern of Yole sails to provide a ribbon of colour facing the town. A series of overlapping transparent coloured acrylic sheets allow light to pass through, making the panels glow like Yole sails.