Bamboo Bridge over the River Tyne (UK)

link to TV news item: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7508608.stm

Riggers have begun constructing a 100m (328ft) long bamboo bridge over the River Tyne (Newcastle/Gateshead,UK).

The temporary sculpture, which is not to be crossed by the public, is being built in between the Tyne and Millennium bridges.

It is scheduled to be completed on 18 July and will stand for three days during the SummerTyne music and arts festival, before being dismantled.

Australian firm Bambuco is using up to 800 bamboo poles in the construction.

It doesn't surprise me that they could build a bamboo bridge, I've seen the skyscaper scaffolding they build out of bamboo - now that's just CRAZY!

On 2008-07-16 07:02, MadDogMike wrote:
It doesn't surprise me that they could build a bamboo bridge, I've seen the skyscaper scaffolding they build out of bamboo - now that's just CRAZY!

You can say that again! Snapped this in Hong Kong a few years ago. Simply amazing:

Scaffold is put together entirely with bamboo sections and knotted cord!

Bamboo is actually quite strong due to the fibres in it, but still has enough flex in it to act as a shock absorber. In places like Asia its quite common, all of which makes it a natural buiilding resource.

THE completion of the artistic bamboo bridge across the River Tyne will be marked with the lighting of more than 400 blazing firepots tonight (18 July).

The temporary suspension bridge, spanning more than 100 metres, has been created by riggers from Australian company Bambuco over the past few weeks.

As nightfall descends this evening, the riggers will again climb the bridge, lighting hundreds of firepots on each tower and along the bridge.

And sounds recorded during the eighth bridge’s construction will be played as each tower is lit, along with the haunting sounds of bamboo instruments.

On 2008-07-18 05:23, 54 house of bamboo wrote:

As nightfall descends this evening, the riggers will again climb the bridge, lighting hundreds of firepots on each tower and along the bridge.

And sounds recorded during the eighth bridge’s construction will be played as each tower is lit, along with the haunting sounds of bamboo instruments.

And then they are going to burn it. Like some kind of giant burning..uh..burning thing..