Tap to select the previous period
Next
There were 15 locations along Thumamah Rd where pedestrian bridges were required. These had to facilitate safe crossing for pedestrians, over the service roads on either side and freeway in between. Stairs or elevators provided access, to accommodate the elderly, people pushing prams or using wheelchairs. These were mostly located close to bus stops or road intersections. The bridges were designed to have a flexible or varying floor plan. The simplest form is a straight bridge across, but we also included angled sections, which could easily be adjusted or adapted to fit locations on either side of the road. The angles and the number of angles could also be altered to accommodate longer stretches, to reach all areas. The distinctive golden bridges with perforated sheets, came from observing the pattern and growth form of the Bitter Apple (Citrullus colcynthis) a low creeping desert plant, carrying numerous apples on the ground. The colour of ripe bitter apples is bright yellow, often seen against red dune sand backgrounds. By mixing these two colours, we arrived at the golden colour. The round shapes from the bitter apples, are then cut out of the steel panels. The shapes of the individual panels follow the hexagonal molecular structure used extensively in the road design.