Saturday, May 19, 2007

South Bank Parklands Grand Arbour

South Bank Parklands Grand Arbour
South Bank Parklands Grand ArbourThe Grand Arbour is a major architectural and horticultural attraction at South Bank Parklands. It weaves from one end of the parklands to the other, and is over a kilometre in length. Consisting of 443 curled pylons of steel, nearly all pylons are interconnected with up to nine steel wires on which grows trains of magenta bougainvillea plants. There are also yellow plates of steel which provide additional shade cover at various locations throughout the walkway.

South Bank Parklands Grand ArbourThe Grand Arbour was designed by a Melbourne-based firm Denton Corker Marshall in 1997 and completed in 1999. It was a significant feature in the redesign of the parklands. The walkway is not only enjoyed by tourists, it is also a popular route for runners having been used in a number of fun runs. Art exhibitions are also hung from the wires from time to times, and when the parkland markets hit their peak period many of the stalls use the shade of the arbour to provide comfort for visiting shoppers.

South Bank Parklands Grand Arbour
In full bloom the arbour is nothing short of spectacular. I recall when I worked at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in the late 1990's they had a similar but much smaller concept, which I looked forward to see growing. Imagine my delight when I came to Brisbane to find a similar framework, and over the years I've lived here watching it achieve the grandeur of the original design concept flower into what we all can enjoy today. I can't wait until it fully engulfs the entire steel frame!

Cheers, I Love Brisbane, Wes.

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3 comments:

Brooke - Little Miss Moi said...

Dear wes. Beautiful arbour. The flowers are so pretty.

silk wedding flowers brisbane sydney said...

i love the arbor, the flowers are great!

Unknown said...

When is it in flower???