The web app for the Smart Circular Bridge in Ulm

On 7 February 2025, a small bridge was opened in Ulm. It is the centrepiece of the EU-funded research project ‘Smart Circular Bridge’ and demonstrates the potential of fast-growing, renewable raw materials for climate protection and the circular economy in construction – and beyond. At the same time, the little bridge has an extra surprise for its pedestrians: it is also a musical instrument, drawing attention to innovations in sustainability through its soundscape.

Pedestrians rarely pay attention to the streets or bridges they are walking on. But this bridge changes that. Through sound, people experience how tje bridge in Ulm's old town over the Kleine Blau river, not far from the famous cathedral, reacts to them. They hear their own footsteps and notice how the bridge sounds under different loads or when the temperature changes. The Stuttgart-based studio for auditory communication ‘Klangerfinder’ makes this research project playful and sensory – directly on site and also remotely via the internet at https://www.flachsbruecke-ulm.de

In this web app, interested parties can not only learn about the sound design, but also find out more about the Smart Circular Bridge: Who is behind the project? What is special about the material used? And how could flax be used for other constructions?