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Wielwijk Sound Barrier

The residential neighbourhood Wielwijk close to Dordrecht is situated near Highway A16 between Rotterdam and Breda. Lowering noise levels and improving air quality was imperative since some housing estates here are as close as 30 feet to the road, and in some 700 apartments the noise level was way over acceptable standards. Sound barriers combined with a sophisticated planting scheme reduce noise and air pollution. The extreme vicinity of housing to the highway precluded a conventional vertical screen. This situation demanded a curved surface that covered at least two car lanes. Daylight still reaches the homes and a transparent design obstructs the view as little as possible. The bent trusses are made of prefabricated concrete with a slender contoured look. The steel space frame girders in between contain translucent acrylate sheeting. An undulating shape at both ends accentuates the clear lines of the mile long screen in between.

sound barrier, Dordrecht, highway, Rijkswaterstaat, Hans, Heeswijk, Wielwijk, architecture