Experience the Bamboo Footbridge: An Immersive Landscape Design at the University of Vienna Botanical Garden

A unique visitor experience at the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna, the Bamboo Footbridge provides access to an expansive bamboo grove. Designed through a student competition, the footbridge protects the delicate bamboo roots while allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the grove's environment.

The Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna features a "Bambus-Steg" or Bamboo Footbridge, an installation designed to grant visitors access to its extensive bamboo grove. The grove, primarily composed of *Phyllostachys viridiglaucescens*, covers approximately 230 m² and is likely one of the oldest and largest outdoor bamboo groves in Austria, with specimens dating back to at least 1893. The design for the footbridge emerged from a competition held for the Landscape Design class at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The winning concept by Jessica Gaspar and Nikola Schubert proposed two distinct walkways that would allow entry into the grove while safeguarding the root system. These separate pathways offer glimpses into the grove, respecting the interplay of light and shadow, the verticality of the bamboo stalks, and the characteristic sounds of the leaves and stems. Constructed with a steel framework, the footbridges are designed to be as resilient and flexible as bamboo itself. The grated floor mirrors the transparency and regularity found within the bamboo grove, with openings large enough for bamboo shoots to grow through and eventually integrate the structure. This design dissolves the boundary between the walkway and the grove, enabling visitors to experience the environment intimately without disturbing the sensitive root network.

Information regarding ticketing or admission for the Bamboo Footbridge is not specified on this page. Access is likely included with general admission to the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna.