Dezeen Magazine

Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: Langkawi Sky Bridge by Peter Wyss

The letter L in our festive countdown of bridges is the Langkawi Sky Bridge, a cable-stayed structure at the top of a mountain on Malaysia's Langkawi archipelago.

Designed by planning consultant Peter Wyss, the 125-metre-long walkway is one of the world's longest curved cable-stayed bridges and is located at the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang on Pulau Langkawi island.

Langkawi Sky Bridge by Peter Wyss

A total of just eight steel cables support the structure, extending out from a single 82-metre-high pylon.

The pedestrian deck curves around this pylon. At each end, the walkway widens to create a triangular platform offering visitors panoramic views out across the treetops.

Langkawi Sky Bridge by Peter Wyss

At present, the only feasible way to reach the bridge is to ride a cable car up the mountain, then take a 20-minute uphill trek through the jungle. But a cable railway is under construction to make it more accessible.

The remoteness of its location also proved a challenge during construction. Each component had to assembled elsewhere and airlifted to the site by helicopter.

Langkawi Sky Bridge by Peter Wyss

The bridge opened in 2004, although it was closed between 2012 and early 2015 for maintenance. It reopened in February and can now support the weight of up to 250 people at a time.

In the spirit of an advent calendar, Dezeen is counting down the days until Christmas with an A to Z of iconic contemporary bridges. See all the bridges in our A-Zdvent calendar so far »

Images courtesy of Shutterstock.