Garden BridgeUnlike a pricey ride to the top of the Shard, London’s tallest building, visitors to Heatherwick’s proposed Garden Bridge would be able to take their time across the slowest bridge in the city. Rather than yet another skyward blue construction, this is a horizontal green one: a pedestrian garden-cum-bridge across the Thames. “It mustn’t feel like we went to the bridge shop,” Heatherwick says. “The hero of a garden bridge must be the garden.” Trees will be planted near the load-bearing columns. Heatherwick credits the idea to his friend, actor Joanna Lumley (of AbFab fame), and its public appeal to the proven success of New York’s High Line. Funding for the £150,000,000 ($250,000,000) project is to come from private donors; Heatherwick says that they’re nearing the two-thirds mark and hopes that all London lovers will donate, be it a penny or a pound. Visit gardenbridgetrust.org to learn more. Photo courtesy: Arup. Photo 6 of 9 in Heatherwick Studio at Design Indaba

Heatherwick Studio at Design Indaba

6 of 9

Garden BridgeUnlike a pricey ride to the top of the Shard, London’s tallest building, visitors to Heatherwick’s proposed Garden Bridge would be able to take their time across the slowest bridge in the city. Rather than yet another skyward blue construction, this is a horizontal green one: a pedestrian garden-cum-bridge across the Thames.

“It mustn’t feel like we went to the bridge shop,” Heatherwick says. “The hero of a garden bridge must be the garden.” Trees will be planted near the load-bearing columns.

Heatherwick credits the idea to his friend, actor Joanna Lumley (of AbFab fame), and its public appeal to the proven success of New York’s High Line. Funding for the £150,000,000 ($250,000,000) project is to come from private donors; Heatherwick says that they’re nearing the two-thirds mark and hopes that all London lovers will donate, be it a penny or a pound. Visit

gardenbridgetrust.org to learn more.

Photo courtesy: Arup.