Backed by Shigeru Ban and others, artist Jae-Eun Choi envisions garden-lined bridge for Korean DMZ

2017-12-28T21:07:00-05:00

At the 2016 Venice Architectural Biennale, Ban and Choi presented a scale model of a 13-kilometer (about eight-mile), garden-lined bamboo walkway meandering between North and South Korea, elevated to protect visitors from ubiquitous DMZ landmines. Along its length would be towers for viewing nature and, every kilometer, open-air “Jung Ja” meditation pavilions designed by different architects and artists, including several reserved for North Koreans.

With support from Shigeru Ban and others, artist Jae-Eun Choi envisioned a garden-lined bridge called "Dreaming of Earth" that would meander through the Korean Demilitarized Zone, which has ironically grown into one of Asia's most significant wildlife sanctuaries. The initial proposal, which Choi and Ban presented at the 2016 Venice Biennale, includes designs by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann, Bijoy Jain, Seung H-sang, Minsuk Cho, and artists like Lee Ufan and Lee Bul, Tadashi Kawamata, and more. Despite the current political climate, Choi is determined to make her peace project a reality.

Calatrava's Peace Bridge in Calgary keeps getting vandalized and the repair costs are adding up

2016-11-16T14:04:00-05:00

After two more glass panels were ruined on the Peace Bridge, Calgary's top transportation official revealed that vandals have, overall, caused more than $200,000 in damage to the bridge, forcing the city to upgrade the security camera system in the area. The helical steel pedestrian bridge, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and spanning the Bow River, was closed for several weeks this summer while a contractor replaced half a dozen cracked panels.

Apparently, eight glass panel have been replaced in total since the bridge opened in 2012. Glass handrail panels have been shattered. And, earlier this year, all the light fixtures had to be replaced because the original ones kept burning out during the cold winter months.

As a deterrent, officials have had to install an extensive surveillance system. Now, they're planning to copy a move made on a nearby bridge and install some speakers that will bark at you if you loiter for too long. "Sir, move along," the loudspeaker will politely intone.

The bridge was controversial at the get-go for its high price tag—$24.5 million. It was approved mere days before the 2008 financial crash. That being said, the Peace Bridge has proved to be quite popular with both locals and tourists.

I'm not trying to pin the blame for these cost overruns on Mr. Calatrava himself, but, wow, the guy just can't seem to catch a break:

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Backed by Shigeru Ban and others, artist Jae-Eun Choi envisions garden-lined bridge for Korean DMZ​

Calatrava's Peace Bridge in Calgary keeps getting vandalized and the repair costs are adding up

Backed by Shigeru Ban and others, artist Jae-Eun Choi envisions garden-lined bridge for Korean DMZ