Kaštela Bay Bridge Split peninsula, Croatia competitors design, Hrvatske ceste contest news
8 March 2026
Place: Kaštela Bay Bridge, Split peninsula, southern Croatia
Architects: 3LHD and Pipenbaher Inženirji
3LHD Architects and Bridge Style Workplace Pipenbaher Consulting Engineers Win Competitors for the New Kaštela Bay Bridge in Croatia
images thanks to designers practice Kaštela Bay Bridge Croatia Style by 3LHD ZAGREB/ SPLIT, Croatia– March 7, 2026– The winning proposal for the worldwide competition to create a brand-new bridge across the Kaštela Bay has actually been granted to Croatian architecture studio 3LHD in cooperation with Slovenian bridge style specialists from Pipenbaher Consulting Engineers. The decision was made by an expert jury as part of a competitors commissioned by Hrvatske ceste, the Croatian national roadway authority. A New Maritime Gateway and Horizon Landmark The 1.6-kilometre bridge will
link the city of Split with the town of Kaštela, developing a vital brand-new transportation link toward Trogir, Split Airport, and the A1 motorway.The structure is developed as a cable-stayed bridge with 2 slender pylons and a 400-metre main span, plainly specifying the navigation corridor and forming a recognisable maritime gateway to the future worldwide port of Split. Its architectural identity is defined by the 157-metre-high pylons, motivated by the crystalline structure of Dalmatian limestone, the characteristic building product of the Adriatic coast. Rising from the sea and converging above the deck into a distinct shape, the pylons will become one of the highest structural elements in Croatia and a new spatial landmark within the Kaštela Bay. Rooted in sustainable building concepts, the project design incorporates a considerable share of local fabrication and assembly. Steel bridge sections can be fabricated at the nearby Split shipyard, while concrete components would be sourced from
production facilities in Kaštela, considerably lowering transport emissions while supporting the local market. Infrastructure as Public Space Above the Sea Moving beyond its primary function of carrying 4 traffic lanes, the bridge is attentively designed as a raised public space. The pedestrian and biking paths are functionally sunken listed below the traffic deck, securing users from sound and wind while providing continuous, breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding archipelago.
This route is imagined as a raised leisure promenade, including four expanded seeing platforms. These areas are developed to function as gathering points for citizens, working as prime vantage points throughout sailing regattas, sporting events, and public celebrations. Speaking on the architectural concept, Marko Dabrović, partner at 3LHD, mentioned:
“We approached the bridge as a new spatial axis and a crucial catalyst for the advancement of northern Split and Kaštela. It is a facilities that concurrently ends up being a public space. The slim pylons form brand-new city entrances, while the reduced boardwalk with seeing points transforms the bridge into a leisure path and a new public place above the sea.”
Concerning the structural principle, Marjan Pipenbaher, CEO of Pipenbaher Consulting Engineers, added:” Structurally, this is a highly requiring and innovative bridge job. The slender pylons and cable-stayed system enable the 400-metre main span while keeping a clear and stylish silhouette. Special attention was committed to ensuring the seismic resistance of the structure and the
aerodynamic stability of the bridge under conditions of strong, gusting high-speed winds.” 3LHD 3LHD is a popular Croatian architecture studio known for tasks that flawlessly connect architecture, urbanism, and style to shape modern public spaces and facilities. Pipenbaher Consulting Engineers are worldwide recognized bridge designers focusing on long-span bridges, with a broad range of references, consisting of the Pelješac Bridge in Croatia.The Kaštela
Bay Bridge is visualized as a restrained architectural gesture that appreciates the horizontal landscape of the bay, while its slim and refined form holds the possible to become a brand-new identifiable icon for Split and the Dalmatian coast.
++ +Kaštela Bay Bridge, Croatia– Structure Info Textual description: Kaštela Bay Bridge The brand-new bridge over the Kaštela Bay represents a crucial facilities job for the broader Split area. Spanning 1,600 meters, the bridge links the Split peninsula with Kaštela. Concurrently, the job initiates the improvement of the bay’s northern coast. An area defined for decades by military and industrial facilities is now gaining the prospective to turn into a brand-new metropolitan exterior for the city.
< img src ="// www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20520%20263%22%3E%3C/svg%3E"data-src="https://www.e-architect.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/kastela-bay-bridge-split-port-sunset-view-t070326-520x263.webp" alt="Kaštela Bay Bridge Croatia, Split port crossing"width ="520"height="263"/ > Situated at the northern method to Split, the bridge defines a new entry point into the city. For many visitors showing up from the direction of the airport or Trogir, it represents their very first spatial encounter with the city material and the Kaštela Bay. Due to this strategic position, the job is developed as a distinct, identifiable structure that forms a maritime entrance and develops a completely brand-new shape for the northern coast.The visual
identity of the bridge is centered on 2 slim pylons, 157 meters in height, which function as iconic components within the bay. Their faceted kind is a direct reinterpretation of the crystalline structure of Dalmatian limestone– the foundational product of Diocletian’s Palace and Split’s historical core. In this way, the modern engineering structure develops an effective dialogue with the local architectural heritage.
Pedestrian and bike paths, positioned on the outer sides of the bridge, are purposefully decreased below the level of the main highway. This style develops a secured corridor straight above the sea, insulated from engine sound, wind, and exhaust fumes. Expanded zones near the pylons function as breathtaking viewpoints and collecting spots. As a result, crossing the bay stops to be a simple traffic requirement and becomes an unique spatial experience with unobstructed views of the waters and the city.
The engineering reasoning is based on a cable-stayed system with a central span of 400 meters. Putting the cables in a single central aircraft permits an extremely slim deck building and construction and an aesthetically clean silhouette. This setup ensures high structural effectiveness, clearly defines the navigation channel, and safeguards the sensitive landscape of the Kaštela Bay from visual clutter.Architecture: 3LHD– https://www.3lhd.com/hr/Author: 3LHD designers Kaštela Bay Bridge in Croatia images/ info got 080326 from 3LHD
Designers 3LHD: Designer Profile Place: Kaštela Bay Bridge, Split, Croatia, southeast Europe.Croatia Structure Styles by 3LHD Current Croatian building designs by 3LHD Architects on e-architect: Hotel Keight, Opatija, Hrvatska, Northern Croatia picture: Jure ŽivkovićResidential Block Park Kneževa, Zagreb< img src ="https://www.e-architect.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/residential-block-park-knezeva-zagreb-j-520x347.webp"alt="Residential Block Park Kneževa, Zagreb by 3LHD"width="520"height="347"/ > picture: Jure ŽivkovićCampus Infobip Zagreb Hotel Lone Rovinj+ ++New Croatia Architecture Contemporary Croatian Architectural Projects Croatia Building Designs Croatia Architectural
News Croatian Architect Firms Croatian Architecture Comments/ pictures for the Kaštela
Bay Bridge design by 3LHD in Croatia page welcome.