If you think about it, bridges are one of humanity's most ambitious achievements. It takes a lot of confidence to look at an abyss or a body of water and have the determination to build something that crosses it safely. A bridge is an extraordinary tool, which fills gaps and connects places and people: what I'm telling you about today doesn't seem like a simple, future evolution of the concept, but also a fascinating marvel of engineering.
Nothing resembles him: we have seen many wonders (from those of Leonardo at the Golden Gate in San Francisco), but this one has a different spirit. The function is similar, however: to join two banks, in this case it is two green areas in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Two areas separated by a highway: what's better than a pedestrian bridge to connect them? Especially this bridge, which has an extraordinary design made of spirals, ramps and vortices. And an all green heart.
A pedestrian bridge that becomes a suspended park
The starting idea of the architecture studio Atrium was to interfere as little as possible with the natural landscape. The objective was fully achieved: this structure does not cover the context, but completes it, integrates perfectly.
On one of the two ends, the bridge leads into a botanical garden: going up, pedestrians find themselves on a sort of hill equipped with an observation platform and green spaces. Nature is not only around the bridge, but is a substantial part of the project: trees grow high above it along its entire length.
And at the same time it has something futuristic, it looks like a science fiction structure. The flared poles in the upper part taper downwards, recalling in a stylized way the crowns of the trees: a garden of Babylon of the third millennium.
Combining nature and architecture is not a new concept: but it does so in a particularly effective way. I would love to go on the highway and cross gardens like this along the way.
