When dreams (or nightmares, depending on where you stand) become reality. The contracts have just been signed for its construction, and an artist has already created an image of what London’s planned Garden Bridge could look like in spring. And frankly, it’s stunning. The imagining depicts a romantic view from one of the bridge’s winding paths at the height of spring, and it was accompanied by a promotional film aiming to rally support for the bridge as something belonging to all Londoners.
[Evening Standard]More than 270 trees and 2,000 shrubs and climbing plants will be included in the crossing which could stretch between the South Bank and Temple tube station, making for one foliage-filled walk to work! The £175m bridge will have five distinct landscape areas and use more than 22,000 perennials, ferns and grasses and 64,000 bulbs. However, it has come under scrutiny, being deemed by many as an unnecessary vanity and a drain on the tax payer’s hard-earned money…while some think of it as a spectacular achievement that will add aesthetic value to London’s skyline. Well, it will certainly look nice in spring, that’s for sure.
[Standard]The deal between the trust behind the project and developers Bouygues Travaux Public and Cimolai SpA will complete the bridge’s design and build and plant it for opening in 2018. However, negotiations are still ongoing around acquisition of land for the south landing. Construction is due to commence in the summer of this year and to be completed in late 2018.
