A decade after avant-garde Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid won an international competition to design a bridge over the mouth of Taiwan’s Tamsui River, her vision is coming to life. Set to open in early 2026, the futuristic Danjiang Bridge in Taipei will be the longest of its kind in the world.
It was one of last projects for the world-renowned Hadid, who died in 2016 at age 65 — about seven months after her firm’s plans were selected. “She was an extraordinary role model for women,” architect Amanda Levete told The Guardian at the time. “She was fearless and a trailblazer — her work was brave and radical.”
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Stretching 920 meters when complete (a little over 3,018 feet), the structure is a single-tower, cable-stayed bridge. That means the entire suspension element will be supported by one slender, concrete mast, thus minimizing its visual impact, per the project description.
But based on renderings, the bridge will still strike a stunning figure. Dubbed “Queen of the Curve,” Hadid incorporated her trademark sweeping contours and placed the mast specifically so as not to impede views of the sunset.
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the single tower results in less disruption to “the important natural ecosystem” within the Tamsui River estuary than multiple towers would. The estuary is a draw for both residents and tourists, serving as a recreational area and gathering place. Close by is the 74-acre Wazihwei Nature Reserve, home to a vast number of mangrove trees and a popular base for bird-watching.
The bridge will also decrease congestion on local roads and on another bridge upriver, and will increase connectivity between neighborhoods by linking two major highways. There will be dedicated pedestrian and bike lanes as well.
“In reducing traffic by 30% on the existing Guandu Bridge 5 kilometers upriver, the Danjiang Bridge will significantly improve Taiwan’s northern coast traffic network and also enhance accessibility throughout the region with the Port of Taipei and Taoyuan International Airport,” the description reads.
Construction began in March 2019, and the total budget is said to be about $405 million. This January, engineers on the project said it was 77% complete, Focus Taiwan reported.
Other work of Hadid’s has been completed in the years since her death, including Beijing’s colossal, twisting Leeza SOHO tower (2019); the opulent One Thousand Museum condo complex in Miami (2020); the Beeah headquarters in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, a sand dune-shaped structure (2023); and Rome’s renovated Palazzo Capponi, a luxury hotel (2025).
As the Museum of Oxford put it: “Hadid’s unmistakable designs are more inspired by the laws of art than the laws of gravity, with her buildings having the appearance of operating completely outside of physics.”
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