Located less than two miles from the heart of Indianapolis, and just across Fall Creek from Indy’s top healthcare, academic, and corporate institutions, the 16 Tech Innovation District is a 50-acre community dedicated to fostering world-changing innovation and economic opportunity. The Wave Bridge spans the creek to connect the district to Indianapolis’ research/medical corridor and the downtown community. The 342ft-long bridge will also link the 16 Tech Innovation District to the city’s wider trail and greenway network, including the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.

Working as part of a larger interdisciplinary team, PAU designed the Wave Bridge in collaboration with local communities. During six months of community engagement, which included education on the design process itself, the design team made special efforts to reach residents of Indianapolis’ near West and near Northwest neighborhoods through mailers, online surveys, virtual meetings, a VOIP hotline in English and Spanish, as well as in-person outreach via a street team, site walks, and a partnership with a local STEM-based school. Four key aspects emerged from the community engagement process which guided the bridge design: history and heritage, safety and accessibility, trails and connections, and programming and events. In listening to the community, the design team heard the desire for the bridge to be an accessible public space that feels safe and inclusive; a central node to the rich network of trails in Indianapolis; and to provide a connection to its natural surroundings.