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There appears to be a new breed of statement landscapes evolving. In the past investing heavily in extensively landscaped gardens, created by the best known designers of the time, was an expression of private wealth and power. Now the trend seems to be reappearing in the public domain, not so much as a show of financial clout but as a method of attracting positive publicity, investment and visitors. Cities wanting to show that they see green infrastructure to be of high importance, that they consider sustainability and that their communities are investing big and enlisting industry leaders to produce landmark landscapes. New York’s High Line and Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay for example.
Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore – one of the latest high profile landscapes to be created http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay
London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, has been looking for a landscape project to give his city that green landmark and to be able to say that London can do it too. A competition run with the Garden Design Museum and Landscape Design Magazine entitled ‘A High Line for London’ indicated as much although the ideas that came forward from that seem to have been a little low key and have not as yet taken off. Instead an idea conceived by a celebrity has attracted the Mayor’s attention; Joanna Lumley’s Garden Bridge. As well as the celebrity campaign that drew attention to the idea of the bridge the promise of private funding must have been a major attraction. However fundraisers fell somewhat short of the estimated £175 million build cost and £60 million of public money has been promised to the scheme which was granted planning permission in December last year.
ARUP’s visualisation of Thomas Heatherwick’s design for the London Garden Bridge http://www.heatherwick.com/
So will the London Garden Bridge live up to the landscapes which have caused the desire for its creation? As well as the celebrity champion it has been designed by a big name architect in Thomas Heatherwick and celebrated garden designer Dan Pearson has the difficult task of creating planting in the unique conditions of being held over a large water body. In such capable hands the design should be impressive but where the bridge may not match up to the others is in the difference it will make to the surrounding area. The High Line took a disused piece of transport infrastructure and brought life back to it, provided much needed recreational space and elevated the surrounding area. Gardens by the Bay was created out of nothing on reclaimed land and the scale of the site makes it a green destination for the city’s residents and visitors.
The High Line NYC brought needed public space and green infrastructure http://www.boomsbeat.com/
The London Garden Bridge is proposed to link Westminster with Lambeth from right outside the National Theatre, two areas not lacking in attraction or wealth so the potential benefits of investment are unlikely to be so significant here and are definitely not as needed as in other areas of the city. Critics also argue that there are ample bridges in this area , nine in two miles of which seven can be crossed by pedestrians. However only one is purely pedestrian and the Millennium bridge does not provide the potential oasis of calm within the bustling centre that the garden bridge might.
If the London Garden Bridge goes ahead (and there are many who say it shouldn’t) it will be there in the heart of London for all to see and judge. Will it be seen as a personal project pushed forward by individuals wanting to create a landmark at public expense aimed at tourists rather than residents? Or rather another iconic element of an environment that attracts millions to visit one of the world’s great cities. A piece of green infrastructure that inspires investment in exciting original landscapes encouraging those designing them to think big and push the boundaries of what can be achieved? Quite easily it could be both. What is great is that the value of these green landscapes is being recognised and they are becoming the star attractions within urban environments.
