PROJECTS
The team decided to use narrow planks of 76 x 22, orientated with their long direction vertically.
THE NITTY-GRITTY
The main spine of the walkway is tubular steel, with welded ribs and a light mesh giving the cross bracing. This allows the whole form to act as a bridge-spanning beam. Continuous shaped timber handrails ensure the safety of the visitor. The method was to pre-fabricate the structure in 6-metre lengths which were then hoisted by crane and bolted together on site. This meant minimal intervention in the sensitive tree canopy during assembly and reduced construction time in the garden.
The foundations are submerged, hand-dug, reinforced concrete pads in select positions, approximately 12 metres apart.
The foundations appear as small concrete stub columns above ground, onto which the slender steel H section columns are bolted. The decking itself is stained, treated, slatted pine, placed on edge and spaced to accommodate the walkway’ s curves. The end product is a low-maintenance, low-impact, sculptural walkway that winds its way up and through the complex collection of trees that make up the Arboretum.
A walk along the Boomslang allows visitors to get up close and personal with nature.
24 FEB / MARCH 2017 //