Sackler Crossing in Kew Gardens, London (GB)
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a Architect: John Pawson, London Team: Ben Collins, Chris Masson, Vishwa Kaushal Structural designer: Buro Happold, London Team: Simon Fryer, Chris Woodfield, Anthony Holder Completed: 2006
The Royal Botanic Gardens are in Kew, south-west of London and are home to the world’s largest collection of different plant species. The botanical garden complex, which was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2003, is one of the oldest of its kind. It was developed almost 250 years ago from several smaller gardens, which were all in the possession of the royal family. In sub sequent years they grew together to form a large park, which was planned by various landscape architects. The park’s buildings, including the renowned Victorian greenhouses, have now been complemented by another structure: the Sackler Crossing – named after Mortimer and Theresa Sackler, whose foundation financed its construction. It spans the larger of two artificial lakes in the western part of the grounds. In the overview the bridge forms a sine curve, meanders between two densely vegetated islands and thanks to its double curve offers various views of its surroundings from different angles. Seen from far away, it is barely perceptible, because the slender extruded bronze railing posts, with a diameter of 2.5 cm, provide transparency and the interplay of their colouring means that they fit in perfectly with their immediate environment. Standing on the banks of the lake, the curving bridge’s parapet looks like a solid wall because of the optical overlapping of the bronze rods. The reflections of the shimmering railing posts in the rippling water are delightful. Because the bridge sits very low over the water’s surface, visitors crossing it gain an impression of the close proximity of the water, which shimmers through the joints between the dark granite joists. Small LEDs have been integrated into these, which illuminate the bridge and the water when it is dark. 96