We all know about the seven wonders of the world. Those ancient architectures that bring back the past to us. They are so grand and majestic. It almost makes you wonder whether such a thing can be ever made again. Once upon a time, architecture was an art, something which matter. Now all we see around us are plain concrete buildings of the same kind. It almost feels like we have lost all sense of creativity. And that’s such a depressing thing!
But have we really lost it
But Vietnam retorts with a resounding ‘NO’ – no, we haven’t lost it. Not just yet. Outside Da Nang in Vietnam, they have constructed a spectacular bridge above the Ba Na Hills, and it is 1400m above the sea. But that’s not the exciting part. The bridge is actually being held aloft by two giant hands! These sculpted hands give the bridge the breathtaking factor. You can almost feel like you are entering some fantasy land as you walk across this golden curved walkway.
If you are adventurous enough, go to the side and you can get an amazing view of the countryside. The bridge is 150 meters and is lined with purple Lobelia Chrysanthemums decorating the sides like a fantasy movie. If you even look at the hands, they look ancient and that’s part of the theme. Makes it seem like an old sorcerer’s creation. Whoever planned these must be a genius!
The hands that hold your fate
So how did this great design come to life? It came to the brilliant minds of the company called TA Landscape Architecture. How did they find these huge stones to carve off these giant hands? They didn’t even search for it. Yeah, these hands are not carved out of stone. A representative of the company told that they had just designed the framework of the hand and then used steel meshes to cover them up. And then to finish it off, they used fiberglass and added some theming on it. That’s it! Well, you got to say that’s economical! Must have taken a lot of time to work things through.
“The entire construction of the bridge took about a year.” What! That’s the exact words of the representative. It’s unbelievable how fast and economical this construction has been. And nothing has affected its majesty. It remains a modern beauty!
The right investment for the right thing
It took about $2 billion to complete this structure. But it doesn’t matter now. Vietnam is going through a tourist boom with more and more people flowing in just to walk on this walkway and experience the magic of it all. It almost brings more than 1.5 million tourists to that area. Now, that’s a wise investment right there? But I think the best thing about it is – they have restored our faith in architectural creativity.
Yes, we can still do it!
Sounds unbelievable! All of this is not a dream – it’s really out there in Vietnam. If you want to pinch yourselves hard, go visit it and enjoy the majestic beauty the country has to offer. Share your experience with your friends. Trust me, it’s one to cherish forever.
