Dubai Creek Hanging Garden Bridge

Year 2020
Typology Fixed bridge
Location Dubai, UAE
Client RTA
Collaboration Parsons
Architects Syb van Breda, Tom de Weijer, Mark Ernst, Sabry Arfaoui

Team Parsons and Syb van Breda & Co have made a design for Dubai Creek Hanging Garden Bridge, at request of Dubai Road & Transport Authority. The bridge is an important green and shaded link in the pedestrian realm on both Creek embankments.

A vital link in the pedestrian realm

Around the world life styles are changing. Human health, well being, respect for nature and minimization of the impact on resources and materials is getting more important every day. We all have to change our habits.
The Dubai Creek Hanging Bridge project fits well in this process. It celebrates a healthy life style in a green environment, right in the middle of the rejuvenated Creek embankments.

We have translated RTA’s wish for a hanging garden concept literally into a tree shaped structure. Sturdy trunks in the water spread to ever more refined branches supporting the decks, roof and the hanging garden. The result is a very light and transparent structure, providing comfortable passage and great views over the city.

Integration with the Sheraton crossing

The Dubai Hanging Garden Bridge is located exactly on the spot of the proposed Sheraton crossing. Obviously once the pedestrian bridge is built, it will prove very difficult to add a large scale traffic bridge next to it. The pedestrian scale and free views over the Creek would be significantly compromised.

If however the Sheraton Crossing is built as a tunnel, it would fit perfectly. Our concept for the pedestrian bridge has a single row of supports in the Creek, it is relatively easy to build tunnel boxes on either side of the foundation of the bridge. Obviously it would be even better if tunnel and bridge are built at the same time, so both foundations can be combined.

We are convinced the Sheraton crossing should be a tunnel anyway, a huge and noisy traffic bridge right in the middle of the newly rejuvenated and pedestrianized Creek banks would be a pity. With our proposal all the required crossings can be made.