A rotor for a machine includes a plurality of rotor segments, each rotor segment forming a rotor pole and having two permanent magnets interior to the rotor to direct magnetic flux from the permanent magnets through one rotor pole of one rotor segment, through an air gap of a rotor-stator interface between the rotor and the stator, and through a stator pole, wherein at least one rotor segment comprises a saturatable bridge section comprising a structural arch to cause permanent magnet flux from at least one rotor permanent magnet to traverse through an air region of the rotor to core material of the rotor.