Novelty Bridge
Carolyn Law
Duvall
King County’s first bridge project with an artist creates a colorful frame for viewing the landscape.
Novelty Bridge crosses the picturesque Snoqualmie River near Duvall, WA, where it replaced a narrow 1920 concrete bridge that wasn’t expected to survive an earthquake. The design process for the new 623-foot steel arch structure marked the first time King County worked with an artist on a bridge project.
Carolyn Law collaborated with design team members from King County Department of Transportation Road Services Division and engineers with Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. to create artful elements that reflect the locale.
Public art allows me to explore the creative process outside the studio in collaboration with diverse professionals in the larger context of communities, infrastructures, and the built environment. – Carolyn Law
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The open bridge railing frames views of the water, taking the shape of a sky-blue wave. The color palette she chose for the trusses enhances the transition from urban to rural as motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians pass over the bridge: Cool colors lead into the “Valley of the Moon” and warm colors lead toward the city. Law also designed the four granite pylons at each corner of the bridge, giving them a rough-hewn look that introduces another natural element to the site.
Based in Seattle, Law makes studio pieces, primarily drawings, in addition to her work as a public artist and arts planner. Other commissions for 4Culture include an etched glass poem at the Factoria Recycling and Transfer Station.
