Toowong-West End Bridge - The Bougainvillea Bridge

A bridge can be so much more than just a way to cross from A to B. It can be a place to linger, meet, dine & experience Brisbane.

Location: Brisbane, QLD
MODE Expertise: Architecture
Project Team: Rhonan O’Brien, Ari Pitkanen

Toowong-West End Bridge, The Bougainvillea Bridge

The Bougainvillea Bridge aims to be a genuine landmark – uniquely sub-tropical Brisbane with public, commercial and featured landscape spaces integrated, allowing it to become a destination and a place to experience, rather than just a convenient passageway across the River.

A place to view the city skyline and the Brisbane River views.

A place to dine and have a cold drink.

A place for events, bands, community events.

Go slowly, walking along the sheltered tendril-like filigree forms, with an edge of evergreen flowering bougainvillea growing over the structure, whilst discovering a number of key pause spaces along the journey that are resting areas and/or cafes / restaurant tenancies with spectacular views.  Culminating in Cranbrook Place on the Southern edge that forms into a sinuous amphitheatre that wraps itself around a river stage and public plaza.

Or go faster, on bike, effortlessly on an even and sinuous slope, experiencing a changing vista along its length and easily connecting to existing bike paths on both sides. A stop section along the path allows access to the same facilities as the pedestrian route.

The proposed bridge design builds on the successes of other Brisbane bridges creating its own flair and character on this particular aspect of the River, whilst also able to apportion commercial opportunities and their returns to offset against its capital expenditure.