Franklin Bridge in Mannheim — linear design, sustainable construction, efficient lighting

The new Franklin Bridge in Mannheim essentially connects two distinct urban spaces – the newly developed, sustainable Franklin district with Voglestang, the established, long-standing neighborhood. For the first time, it creates a direct, barrier-free connection for pedestrians and cyclists between these two areas, while simultaneously telling a story of modern infrastructure. As a consistently sustainable engineering structure, the bridge utilizes wood as a renewable building material, thus creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for pedestrians and cyclists.

This design concept continues in the details – especially in the lighting. Instead of classic pole lights, the light is generated directly where it is needed: in the handrail. A continuous, linear line of light accompanies the user along the entire length of the walkway, providing orientation, safety, and a uniform, comfortable lighting effect – all without any additional light sources in the space.

This is made possible by the use of our NauticProfil® system. The particular challenge was integrating linear lighting into a round, curved handrail. The result is a clear, precise line of light that blends harmoniously into the design and underscores the bridge's architectural language.

The technical basis is the patented through-wiring system. This allows for the creation of light lines up to 100 meters long with just a single power supply. The electrical supply is continuously maintained within the light line, thus avoiding additional power supplies and interruptions. The result is a continuous, homogeneous light line without visible segmentation. In addition to the design continuity, this principle also offers clear advantages in planning and implementation: reduced interfaces, less installation effort, and high system efficiency.

Integrated lenses ensure targeted light direction, directing the light precisely where it's needed: onto the walking and driving surface. Glare is minimized while achieving a high degree of uniformity. This creates comfortable illumination with clear orientation for all users. Specifically for projects requiring highly efficient and vandal-resistant handrail lighting, we have developed insert lenses for our NauticProfil® system. The advantage: the tactile feel of the handrail is not disrupted by a linear lens protruding from the groove. The square cover provides a smooth and clean finish to the groove.

In this way, a technical solution becomes a design element: a continuous, directed band of light that emphasizes the shape of the footbridge, provides orientation, and consistently advances the idea of ​​sustainable, reduced infrastructure.