17 January 2015

London's Garden Bridge: to build, or not to build?

There's an excellent post about the London Garden Bridge on the Being Brunel blog, titled "Why do we hate the Garden Bridge?". I don't think the author has covered all the bases, and he seems far too well disposed to the possibility that this unspoiled spot on the Thames could reasonably be home to a private garden. However, it's well worth reading.

I've discussed the scheme here before a few times - I think its failings are primarily political rather than in the detail of its design.

I'm interested in what others think: should the Garden Bridge be built? Will it get built? Please feel free to post in the comments.

If the Garden Bridge is not built, what else could usefully be done with the money?

For a start Wandsworth Council are planning a far more practical bridge between Pimlico and Nine Elms which is not yet fully funded. Various ideas for bridges over the Thames in East London also remain overwhelmingly popular with the public.

My reader (and author of an excellent encyclopaedia) David McFetrich posted in the comments to my last post with the following suggestion:
"If there is money available for a new 'fun' bridge in London, instead of the Garden Bridge (with its problems of high cost, impact on Thames views and questionable infrastructural benefit) why not build a replica of the medieval London Bridge? Since this could be built on dry land across a site that later became an artificial lake, it would be far cheaper to build, and it would generate its own income by letting out the shop space either side of the roadway and from entrance fees paid by visitors. The lake could even be surrounded by gardens. The main problem would be to find a sufficiently large space in a readily accessible part of London. Is there room at the new park where the Olympics were held?"
Now there's a question, which chimes well with Being Brunel's view that the proposal has merits as a garden, just not with public money or necessarily at its proposed site. Again, I'd be interested in comments - what do you think would make a sensible bridge-related alternative to the Garden Bridge?

I quite like the idea of a replica Old London Bridge, although I'm pretty sure there's no space at the former Olympic Park and there's an element of kitsch to it. It could be built for far less than the Garden Bridge, and raise rather than waste money by providing lettable space.


Anonymous said...

Hi HP, I don’t think the bridge is worth the money….

a)The bridge is not the focal point of the design. It is secondary to the urban garden concept. If you want to go all crazy, wow look at me, build a swimming pool bridge.

You would have the same problem of designing for all the water the plants need.


b)The money is not the big issue with me but rather the lack of design choices. Imagine if you open up a contest with 175 million pounds available for design!

Hell I will design a swimming pool bridge, a short runway bridge for airplanes and a roller coaster Disney theme park for 50 million pounds!

c)The lack of access for the public. Not one dime should come from public funds unless the bridge is free and open to the public. (at all times of the night and day)

d)Finally, people have to realize bridges are a forever commitment.

Maintenance and upkeep are not sexy topics but imagine having to pay for a leaky roof for eternity, so some garden parties can be held where you are not invited…

I’m tired of giving money to the rich kids.

I realize the public might think engineers are bashing the concept because “we don’t get Art” but in reality if the design was the result of a fair and open contest, with all costs on the table, I think the concept would be acceptable.

Good for you HP, on keeping this poor concept in the news!


The Happy Pontist said...

I'm not entirely how open the procurement process has been so far, but I do agree that it would have been much better to hold an ideas competition than simply to promote this monomaniacal fantasy.

I also think there are enough quasi-private spaces in London without creating more, especially with public money.