urb-x is a system supplier. We deliver the complete superstructure: the modules, workshop planning, the structural verification of the system, and the logistics and assembly concept. Assembly is carried out by your own team or organised through our partner. Substructure, foundations, abutments and site works stay with the local contractors and planners we work with. For public clients this means a single point of contact for the bridge system, while regional value creation stays in place.

A system product is procured differently from a one-off design. Three routes work: i) Direct award, for smaller structures and for early-phase services, within the direct-award thresholds that apply in your country. ii) Design & build and functional specification tendering. You provide a set of specifications at the functional level, that describe what the bridge has to do in terms of span, width, use, constraints, budget, guidelines etc. Bidders propose an intelligent solution, typically for a fixed price. We supply the superstructure to whichever contractor bids with our system. iii) As a supplier or subcontractor, to a contractor who has already won the project or a developer planning and building a new project. Conventional tendering is very hard to combine with a system product. It requires the superstructure to be designed and verified in detail before the bidding phase, work we already conducted for the urb-x system. The client pays for it twice, and accordingly the modular solution can only be introduced as an alternative bid. It can be done, but it costs more and is less certain for everyone involved. The construction method is effectively decided in the early project phases, which is why it is worth talking to us before the design is set.

Yes. In early project phases we contribute our modular construction know-how through feasibility checks and variant studies, cost and schedule estimates, and visualisations. Our early-phase deliverables are kept solution-neutral so they can be shared with all bidders in a later procurement procedure. The initial consultation is free of charge, further services are provided on a fee basis.

urb-x delivers its modular timber bridge system across Europe, with a primary focus on Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the Benelux. The system is designed in compliance with Eurocodes and the applicable national annexes and relevant guidelines, for example SIA and VSS in Switzerland, ZTV-ING, RE-ING and ERA in Germany. For execution we work with local planning offices and contractors who know the applicable standards and local practice.

The system supports spans of up to 35 metres, with module lengths of up to 30 metres and deck widths from 2.5 metres. Longer bridges are realised as multi-span structures. Larger single spans require project-specific reinforcement. Typical use cases are footbridges and cycle bridges, overpasses, elevated cycle paths and embankment paths. Both straight and curved alignments are possible, and the superstructure is compatible with any substructure type and material.

Because the modules are fully prefabricated, on-site work is reduced to lifting, connecting and finishing activities. Depending on configuration and local site access this ranges from a few hours for a narrow footbridge to several weeks for longer elevated sections. Overall construction time is 50–70 percent shorter than for conventional bridges, which means shorter road closures, less disruption for residents and traffic, and higher schedule certainty because weather-related delays are largely eliminated.

Typically two to three months from order confirmation to delivery on site, depending on configuration. Contractors receive an indicative offer within five working days after providing the project’s basic information.

The urb-x structural system has been verified by Harrer Ingenieure GmbH, acting as external test engineer, for a design service life of 100 years, achieved through structural timber protection. Wearing components such as bearings and deck surfaces have a shorter service life and are replaced periodically, as in any conventional bridge. Recommended maintenance should follow a standard inspection cycle, and because the system is modular, individual elements can be replaced instead of rebuilding the structure. Lifecycle costs are predictable at around one percent of construction cost annually. A project-specific lifecycle cost estimate is available on request.

A full-scale prototype section was built in Basel, Switzerland. It has been dismantled after a few years as the site was returned to other use, and the modules are now in storage awaiting their next application. Beyond that, the system has been applied in feasibility studies, concepts and design work on live projects. More importantly, urb-x is a system supplier: we combine established materials and proven technologies more efficiently rather than introducing untested components. Glulam, steel connections and concrete decks each have decades of use in bridge construction, and the way we combine them has been verified by an external test engineer. Our production partner, Hasslacher Norica Timber, has an extensive reference track record in engineered timber bridge structures. A link to their reference projects can be found on our website under “Projects”.

Durability in timber bridges is a question of design and moisture control, not of the material itself. The load-bearing timber is protected constructionally: the deck shields the structure from direct weathering, and details are designed so that water drains correctly rather than accumulates. In addition, our production partner controls moisture content throughout manufacturing and sets it to the level appropriate for exterior use (i.e. higher than in building construction), which minimises shrinkage and checking once the bridge is in service. The 100-year design service life was assessed on this basis by an external test engineer.

Way better than intuition suggests. Structural timber chars at a predictable rate (EN 1995-1-2 sets a notional design charring rate of 0.8 mm per minute for solid softwood) and the char layer insulates the section behind it, so the remaining load-bearing capacity can be calculated. Unlike concrete, timber does not spall, and unlike unprotected steel it does not lose most of its strength within minutes at elevated temperatures. On an open footbridge or cycle bridge the fire load is low to begin with. Project-specific fire safety requirements can be addressed in design as with any other material.

The superstructure is designed for pedestrians, cyclists and e-bikes. In addition it carries service and maintenance vehicles of up to 8 tonnes, with 12 tonnes possible in exceptional load cases. The system is not intended for general road traffic.

The deck surface is one of several system elements available in different variants and is selected per project, based on the client’s needs. Winter maintenance follows normal municipal practice for cycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Deck heating is available as an option.

The superstructure can be built to be fully demountable and reusable. In that specific configuration, connections are designed so modules can be dismantled, reused or replaced without demolishing the structure, as demonstrated by our prototype section, which was dismantled without damage and whose modules are now in storage for reuse. Simplified and lower-cost configurations are also available. These are demountable but not fully reusable. Combined with timber as a CO₂-storing structural material, this makes the system a genuinely circular solution. There is no vendor lock-in, replacements and repairs can be carried out by third parties.

Our optimised design makes the system very cost-competitive with conventional bridges and in most cases at slightly lower cost. Design work is faster and more predictable, because the superstructure is already engineered and verified, so the project team works with a known quantity instead of developing one from scratch. The speed and cost advantages mainly hold if the procurement route avoids duplicating that work, which is why the correct tendering route matters (see above). Off-site prefabrication then cuts construction time by 50 to 70 percent, with the corresponding reduction in closures, site disruption and weather risk. The superstructure is light, comparable to a steel structure, which reduces demands on lifting equipment and can make existing substructures reusable. Over the lifecycle, worn or damaged modules are replaced individually rather than triggering full renovation, keeping total cost of ownership (TCO) lower and more predictable across the 100 year design life. Factory production adds consistent quality independent of site conditions, less material waste and less work at height.

Standard warranty terms apply, as in any construction project, governed by the contract and the applicable national law. Beyond that, the design service life and the maintenance cost estimate are backed by an independent structural assessment.