Green footbridge, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty is the most populous city and one of the main commercial and cultural centres of Kazakhstan. The city is precisely the location of an architectural project, in the infrastructure category, that has caught our attention.

It is the pedestrian bridge that allows the citizens of Almaty to cross the highway that separates two of its large green areas: the botanical garden and Sunkar Park. A dual design by the architectural firm ATRIUM merges two structures into one. In doing so, the project becomes a versatile infrastructure that offers multiple usage options to Almaty’s inhabitants.

Indeed, according to their testimonials, ATRIUM’s architects conceived the footbridge “not only as a space for transit, but also for recreation“. The pedestrian bridge offers a direct and fast route to cross from one green area to another over the highway and, at the same time, traces a path full of twists and turns for strolling and prolonging the unhurried enjoyment of the walk. In addition to this double layout, green areas and planters are incorporated into the architecture. The supporting columns expand and hollow out at their junction with the walkways and therefore, in addition to supporting the direct path and the twists and turns of its recreational part, allow space to be reserved for adding soil and planting trees and vegetation on it, in a way that “imitates various natural areas of Kazakhstan”.

Otherwise, the design delicately integrates the bridge into the existing green areas and the relief of the terrain. At the same time, it provides for landscaping that minimizes intervention in the surroundings and gives continuity from one green area to another. In addition, “the silhouette of the bridge is inspired by Kazakh ornaments” and “its ornamental character is materialized in the layout of the main paths and additional ramps”. On the botanical garden side, the pedestrian bridge starts with an event space consisting of a platform and bleachers. The project incorporates an elevator, ramps and stairs in parallel layouts, and lighting of the columns at night.