The revival of the Thames’ South Bank over the past two decades has created a vibrant and artistic district attracting large number of visitors to its art galleries, theatres, music halls, restaurants and outdoor entertainment. However visits to Temple and the north bank area east of Somerset House and Waterloo Bridge are far less frequent. Thomas Heatherwick has shown that a new London bridge could grow and nourish the infrastructure connection between these distinct areas, whilst providing new walking routes to and from Covent Garden and Soho.
The Hanging Garden of London refers to a pedestrians’ Garden Bridge that is planned to span the River Thames in London. The allusion to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon may be slightly exaggerated since Babylon’s treasure was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Conceived in 1998 but not yet funded or approved, the Garden Bridge will feature trees, gardens and walking parths. Costing perhaps £60–£100 million, the bridge will 367 metres long and 30 ms wide. It will link the the south bank of the Thames to Temple tube station on the north side. Horticulturalist Dan Pearson will design the planting scheme.
The bridge’s designer, Thomas Heatherwick, believes that Londoners’ experience of their river has been marginalised by successive transport moves. So the designers need to explore the relationships between cities and nature, and the significance of plants to human health, economic success and social change. And not just for locals; presumably the scheme would increase visitor numbers to London.
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London’s city workers would be encouraged to take their sandwiches to the new bridge, to sit on benches or to walk down the garden paths. Only thus can the vitality of green space in urban landscapes and the significance of them for human health and well-being be reinforced.
A comparison is always made to the High Line in New York. Originally built in 1929, the railway line was raised high above the ground and used to safely transport freight along the Westside waterfront. Its main users were the warehouses and markets in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. But by 1980 the line was not used any more and lay neglected and derelict for decades.
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London is not trying to revitalise an existing piece of infrastructure that has been neglected for decades. Nor will London’s Garden Bridge utilise or demonstrate people power. Rather the brand new bridge will offer gorgeous green spaces, clean air and fabulous river views in the centre of a very busy metropolis. So the question remains: can we realistically expect that the Garden Bridge will become an integral part of London’s contemporary culture?
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The Hanging Garden of London refers to a pedestrians’ Garden Bridge that is planned to span the River Thames in London. The allusion to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon may be slightly exaggerated since Babylon’s treasure was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Conceived in 1998 but not yet funded or approved, the Garden Bridge will feature trees, gardens and walking parths. Costing perhaps £60–£100 million, the bridge will 367 metres long and 30 ms wide. It will link the the south bank of the Thames to Temple tube station on the north side. Horticulturalist Dan Pearson will design the planting scheme.
The bridge’s designer, Thomas Heatherwick, believes that Londoners’ experience of their river has been marginalised by successive transport moves. So the designers need to explore the relationships between cities and nature, and the significance of plants to human health, economic success and social change. And not just for locals; presumably the scheme would increase visitor numbers to London.
Centre spans of the proposed London bridge
Photo credit: Heatherwick Studio
Photo credit: Heatherwick Studio
London’s city workers would be encouraged to take their sandwiches to the new bridge, to sit on benches or to walk down the garden paths. Only thus can the vitality of green space in urban landscapes and the significance of them for human health and well-being be reinforced.
A comparison is always made to the High Line in New York. Originally built in 1929, the railway line was raised high above the ground and used to safely transport freight along the Westside waterfront. Its main users were the warehouses and markets in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. But by 1980 the line was not used any more and lay neglected and derelict for decades.
In 2004, the New York City government committed itself to establish a park on this old, disused transport line. A design competition, that attracted 720 entries from 36 countries, came up with plans that included high-flying pools, wetlands, outdoor art projects, bicycle paths and nature trails.
Views from the proposed London bridge
Photo credit: Heatherwick Studio
In April 2006, New York’s mayor ceremonially marked the beginning of construction on the High Line project, turning it into an elevated park. In June 2011 a ceremony was held to open the High Line second section, from 20th-30th Streets. At a cost of $152.3 million for the two sections so far, a natural oasis had been created in an urban city.
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I'm all in favour of a garden bridge over the Thames, but there is a very important difference between the London & New York projects. Having an elevated urban park that connected New York’s neighbourhoods and provided a sense of place was a unique, transformative public experience. It was considered a radical demonstration of people power and local planning, based on the idea that an open space could be at the heart of neighbourhood revitalisation. As a result, the High Line has been embraced by New York and is now an integral part of that city’s contemporary culture.
London is not trying to revitalise an existing piece of infrastructure that has been neglected for decades. Nor will London’s Garden Bridge utilise or demonstrate people power. Rather the brand new bridge will offer gorgeous green spaces, clean air and fabulous river views in the centre of a very busy metropolis. So the question remains: can we realistically expect that the Garden Bridge will become an integral part of London’s contemporary culture?
People strolling down the High Line,
high above Manhattan streets, New York.