Garden Bridge

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The Garden Bridge is a proposed pedestrian bridge that would span the River Thames in London, England. The project was first conceived by Thomas Heatherwick and his design studio, Heatherwick Studio, in collaboration with Arup Group, the engineering company responsible for the structural integrity of the bridge. A 2014 competition saw proposals from several architects, but Heatherwick's vision ultimately prevailed, and his team began working on the design in earnest. The bridge was intended to be a symbol of London's connection to its riverfront and would have provided a scenic route for pedestrians between Temple Place and the South Bank. In 2015, the project received £30 million in funding from central government, with an additional £10 million coming from Transport for London (TfL). However, the project faced significant delays due to concerns over maintenance costs. By October 2020, it had been revealed that the bridge would require a yearly budget of £3.5 million for upkeep, which led to renewed criticism about its viability as an ongoing public expense.