Just a few hours' drive north of the bustling city of Guangzhou, on the tranquil Nankun Mountain Reserve, is the first ecotourism destination in China. April, with its dreary showers, is probably not the ideal time of the year to visit the award-winning Crosswaters Ecolodge designed by an international team. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful upscale boutique resort that synthesizes sustainability, elegant design and modern conveniences.
The centerpiece of the resort is this commanding bamboo bridge that leads its visitors over the Gangken River to the lobby and main building of the ecolodge, hence the name Crosswaters:
Guangdong, 2010
Colombian bamboo architect Simon Velez was challenged to use the abundantly available native materials and to make the bridge strong enough to withstand the active forces of weather over time. This interior view of the bridge shows well its sturdy structure with the 12 cm diameter concrete-filled bamboo poles:
A view back towards the verdant bamboo forest:
And finally a view of the bridge from the main restaurant:
This blog about a magnificent bridge is posted for Louis la Vache's meme Sunday Bridges. Click on the link and enjoy more bridges.