Telok Blangah Hill Park
Located in Singapore, Telok Blangah Hill Park‘s newest addition includes “a fly-over-like infrastructure” that reaches 120 feet above the forest floor. The walkways are a respectful way to view nature as they provide a place for viewers to unobtrusively admire the landscape.
More images and more about the walkways after the break.
These truly elevated walkways, which are formed like suspension bridges, provide the rare experience of being at treetop level. By elevating the walkways, the park was able to build around the natural surrounding to preserve the forest while also introducing a new relationship between nature and architecture.
The paths form a web-like network running through the dense forest. As people meander along the walkways, some study the creatures occupying the rain forest canopy, while others marvel at the uninterrupted panoramic views of the metropolis.
The open structures permit sunlight to shine on the walkers while natural ventilation can cool the paths. In the night time, some paths are illuminated by a color-changing LED light show.
As seen on Inhabitat.
Photo credit: credit: Acroamatic, 546km, Jicaaas, TonyXQ
I love tree walks and I would love to be here but I’m puzzled by the mixture of ‘utilitarian’ structures and over-indulgent ‘waves’. Why not a simple, elegant compromise.
because the night time lights on it are not intrusive….. Sometimes I wonder if environmentalism or low impact design mean anything to designers
sometimes i wonder of some peoples boring comments are indicative of what their design solution would be…probably wouldn’t be discussing it on here…and this is nice, but not great, what an experience on that suspended walk way!
This looks interesting. On a separate note, they also redid the National Museum that looks gorgeous now.
the suspension bridge over the tree tops is not at Telok Blangah Park but at Macritchie Reservoir.
As I said the other day ( http://structurehub.com/blog/2009/08/singapores-henderson-waves-a-bridge-just-right/ ), the bridge is another successfully-done curvilinear bridge, resembling a tapeworm in this case.
One thing I particularly appreciate about the narrow, straight, bridge over the park is that it is VERY narrow. It forces people to walk single-file, rather than abreast of each other, which tends to cause their gaze away from each other and down toward the trees and wildlife below (thereby reinforcing the whole purpose for the bridges – admiring nature).
thanks for sharing your post. I like your blog.
im pretty sure this already exists in australia..
I live round the corner from here… …