Minimal impact on the surrounding environment
As the name suggests,Cycling Through the Treesis a path that rises above the ground, allowing cyclists to fully admire the vast green of the forest at a height of 10 meters. This is also one of the projects in the Infrastructure of the Year category of the Dezeen Awards 2020.
The circular path is 30 m wide and nearly 700 m long, gradually increasing in elevation by 10 m before descending. The forest is located in the Pijnven nature reserve, the structure is a closed circle with a diameter of 100 m.
With the aim of becoming an ideal experience place for "cyclists" whether professional or not and ensuring environmental factors, landscape design units BuroLandschap and De Gregorio & Partners have created a bridge that minimizes the impact on the surrounding environment.
Specifically,Cycling Through the TreesThe structure was constructed using a single crane mounted at the center of the circle. The steel structure was constructed using foundations and screw piles, without the need for concrete. The structure’s floors and supports are made of weathered steel, which is an orange-brown color that resembles the pine trees in the forest.
“Brown is the color of the earth and is also the most common color in nature, always blending well with the environment. The most important thing for us is to build structures with the lowest possible impact on the environment and nature. This is the starting point,” explains Pieter Daenen, founder of BuroLandschap.
A few trees were cut down and used to incorporate rest stops near the tourist attractions while ensuring that the natural character and environment are not lost.
“The trees here are obviously very important, and cycling across them would be meaningless if they were damaged or destroyed after construction. But with a design that is 100m in diameter and 10m high, it would be difficult to keep them intact.”
“The electric poles look like tree trunks, you have to get quite close to see them, but from a distance of 100 meters it's hard to detect them.”
Bringing magical experiences to visitors
The uniqueness of the 360 bridgeoThis has become a great experience for cyclists who cycle through the nature reserve near the town of Hechtel-Eksel.
The unique feature of the bridge is its spiral shape, the experience of going from one step to another higher is something extremely magical. Visitors feel like they are back to their childhood. You can see tourists leisurely cycling around the circle a few times. Moreover, this 600m distance is quite pleasant, even if you are not in the best of health.
Making the RoadCycling Through the TreesNot only will it bring a new experience to users, it is also expected to attract tourists to explore the Bosland forest and the forests near Hechtel-Eksel, while boosting the local economy.
“These tourists also help boost the local economy. The government also encourages this and believes that forests can bring economic added value, which in turn will support more forest conservation,” Daenen stressed.
