Three Bridges Hoofddorp

These bridges were planned as part of the main infrastructure for an area with 6000 new houses. For the Hoofdvaart, Calatrava designed a 'family' of three cable stayed bridges with very similar characteristics. Just as with his previous designs, the human body stood model for these bridges. All three bridges have a main steel pylon in the form of a spindle, which varies its position from vertical to inclined along the Hoofdvaart, as travellers pass from bridge to bridge. As landmarks, the pylons pierce the sky and at the same time accentuate the geometrical lines of the polder landscape. The bridges have been subject to criticism, because of their excessive costs, their extravagance and their size in relation to the small canal. In 2007, the maintenance for the corroding bridges was reported to cost 5 mln Euro. The first renovation of the middle bridge will be finished in 2010.