French artist Olivier Grossetête used three enormous helium balloons to float a rope bridge over a lake in Tatton Park, a historic estate in north-west England.
Oliver Grossetête created Pont de Singe, which means "monkey bridge", for the Tatton Park Biennial, which this year was themed around flight.
Located in the park's Japanese garden, the structure comprised a long rope bridge made of cedar wood held aloft by three helium-filled balloons. The ends of the bridge were left to trail in the water.
Above: photograph by Thierry Bal
Though visitors weren't allowed to use the bridge, it would theoretically be strong enough to hold the weight of a person, according to Grossetête.
Replacing the usual foundations and joints of a bridge with three balloons leads us to question our perceptions, the artist explained. "My artistic work tries to make alive the poetry and dreams within our everyday life," added Grossetête.
The artist had previously experimented with another floating bridge in his 2007 project Pont Suspendu, where he used a cluster of helium balloons to float a small bridge structure into the air.
Above: photography is by Toby Savage
Balloons have appeared in a number of projects we've featured on Dezeen, including a proposal for a transport network of enormous floating balloons and a bench that appears to be held up by bunches of balloons at each end.
Above: photography is by Toby Savage
We've also featured lots of unusual bridges on Dezeen, such as a wobbling wire bridge designed to span the Seine in Paris and a sunken bridge in a moat that brings the water up to a pedestrian's eye level.
Above: photography is by Toby Savage
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Photographs are by Olivier Grossetête except where stated.
Gorgeous.
Would love to walk on this bridge.
“Though visitors weren’t allowed to use the bridge, it would theoretically be strong enough to hold the weight of a person, according to Grossetête.”
What?! The artist wasn’t willing to suffer for his art? So useless and yet I love it. Right out of a Miyazaki film.
Visual beauty is not useless! It calms the soul and inspires the viewer.
No, no, no! Make it walkable by all means! It’s too surreal not to be real.
@H-J: I would too, but the great artist, his royal highness, decided that it was just a concept, not a real thing that people could use and enjoy. Without being able to actually walk on and use the bridge, it’s nothing but a boring piece of eye candy.
You call THAT boring? ;)
Tony, you have no inspiration. Functional art is the most creative art form there is. Obviously no one is allowed to walk on it due to the liability issues. Our world sadly needs to work within the realms of worst case scenarios.
Awesome! Would love to walk it! Well done!
Nice one, I would have liked to try it.
I just wish this had been reported while it was there! I could easily have visited as my parents live near there – looks fabulous but a shame one couldn't walk over it.
The images are not credited correctly. Thorough research NECESSARY.
Tatton Park is right near me, spotted this bridge through the trees a few months ago! Keep it up Dezeen!
Hi all,
We have now been able to correctly attribute the images.
Emilie/Dezeen
Anyone know the project Skyhook by Gordon Matta-Clark?