3D-printed bridge in the Red Light District will soon be removed

The 3D-printed bridge at Stoofsteeg in the Red Light District will soon be removed. The bridge served as a replacement for the original Stoofbrug, AT5 reported.

With the 3D-printed bridge, it was clear from the beginning that it would only exist temporarily. In 2019, the original Stoofbrug was removed due to renovations and was later replaced by the 3D-printed bridge, which was opened by Queen Máxima in July 2021.

The reason for the prompt removal of the bridge at Stoofsteeg in the Red Light District was that the permit for the temporary bridge had expired on November 27, 2022. An application for an extension was denied, AT5 wrote.

However, according to the local TV station, the removal of the 3D-printed bridge has not only been a matter of approval but has also been additionally initiated by the heritage association Vereniging Vrienden van de Amsterdamse Binnenstad (VVAB), which filed a request for enforcement with the municipality. "The 3D-printed bridge is an infringement of the protected cityscape," said the VVAB.

According to the spokesperson for the Centrum district of Amsterdam, the bridge will be removed soon, however, the timing is not yet known.

For the removal of the temporary bridge, some factors must be taken into account, which is not an easy undertaking, the spokesperson told AT5. "To remove the bridge via a pontoon over the water, it must first be lifted with a crane. The crane will reach the bridge on the Oudezijds Achterburgwal via Sint Antoniesbreestraat and Nieuwe Hoogstraat, " the spokesperson said.

However, the renovation of the Stoofbrug has now been completed. After the 3D bridge is removed, the original Stoofbrug will return to its old location as soon as possible, according to the spokesperson.