west 8 - garden of 10,000 bridges

I saw the Garden of 10,000 Bridges, by West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, on designboom the other day, and was struck not only by how visually cool of an idea it is, but also for the unique ways in which it allows people to interact with the landscape.

With this design, which was created for the 2011 Xi'an International Horticulture Exhibition, West 8 has managed to make two totally different environments: there's the pathway that winds through the landscape of bamboo and bridge underpasses, and then there are the bridges themselves, which elevate the visitor above the landscape, providing multiple vantage points. There's also an interesting concept behind the design. As the architects explain:

Gardens tell a story. They combine poetry and narrative. The Garden of 10,000 Bridges represents the human life; the path of people’s lifetime, which is a route of uncertainty and burden, but also of highlights and elation. The garden design takes you on this walk of life as a meandering, winding trail – continuous and like a labyrinth. It lets you find your way through nature and takes you over 10,000 bridges.

(All images © west 8 urban design & landscape architecture, via designboom)